Having scaled his ‘Everest', Rory McIlroy sees the Open as ‘another mountain to climb' after frustrating week at Oakmont
Rory McIlroy admits winning the Masters was like scaling his personal Everest but he now feels ready to return to base camp in Northern Ireland, where the Open at Royal Portrush is the next peak he aims to conquer.
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RTÉ News
8 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Spaun hangs tough at Oakmont to become major champion
JJ Spaun overcome a calamitous start to his final round to finish strong and become the 125th US Open champion on a wet and wild day at Oakmont County Club. Spaun bogeyed four of his first five holes - having began the day just a shot back of third-round leader Sam Burns - but came good in the end and seized the lead late on with a phenomenal birdie on the short par-four 17th when he cracked a drive to 17 feet and two putted to move past Robert McIntyre. Scot McIntyre had had a wobbly start of his own but eventually signed for a wonderful round of 68 and took the clubhouse lead on one-over-par overall - a mark that looked likely to at least seal a place in a potential playoff. But Spaun wasn't having it. After the fireworks on 17, he played the 18th perfectly and holed a massive putt from 65 feet to claim his first major championship title with a closing 72. Overnight leader Burns and his playing partner Adam Scott both fell away in their final holes as did Tyrrell Hatton who briefly shared a five-way tie for the lead at one point. The final day was marked by a near two-hour weather delay that threatened to send the tournament to a Monday finish but eventually we got over the finish line. Scottie Scheffler shot an even-par 70 to end his week on four-over-par. Rory McIlroy eventually back-doored a top-20 finish with his best round of the week, a tidy 67 which proved the joint-best round fo the day. He has accepted that it is time to regain his focus and knows next month's Open on home soil is the place to do it. "Look, I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb," McIlroy told RTÉ Sport's Greg Allen after concluding his fourth round.
The 42
10 hours ago
- The 42
'I climbed my Everest in April, and have to look for another mountain to climb'
RORY MCILROY BELIEVES next month's Open Championship at Portrush will provide the motivation and focus he needs in the wake of his astonishing Masters triumph in April. McIlroy's post-Masters form has not been as serene as expected: instead he barely made the cut at the PGA Championship, did not play the weekend at the Canadian Open, and was again a long way from contending at this week's US Open at Oakmont. All of this has been scored to a curiously surly tone, as he declined all media requests during the PGA Championship, breaking his silence last night in a moody, low-energy huddle with journalists. But speaking after an impressive closing round of 67 at Oakmont today, McIlroy threw his focus forward to Portrush and admitted he is searching for motivation. Advertisement 'Look, I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb', said McIlroy. 'An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those.' McIlroy continued, 'If I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don't know what can motivate me. Yeah, as I said, I just need to get myself in the right frame of mind. I probably haven't been there the last few weeks.' The biggest technical issue in McIlroy's game in recent weeks has been his driving, to the point he changed his driver ahead of this week's championship. It worked, as McIlroy said he felt much better off the tee this week, admitting the missing piece in his game at the moment is that which sits between the ears. 'I feel like I've driven the ball well all week', said McIlroy. 'After the way I drove it today, I'd say I finished in the top five in strokes gained off the tee. Really encouraged with the driver and how I drove it as well. 'It's not necessarily the driver, it's more me and where my swing was. I feel like I got a really good feeling in my swing with the driver, which was great. Hopefully I can continue that on into next week. Yeah, it's close, as I said. Physically I feel like my game's there. It's just mentally getting myself in the right frame of mind to get the best out of myself.' McIlroy ended a difficult week on the course with an excellent, six-birdie 67, the only of his four rounds under par.
The Irish Sun
10 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Who is Adam Scott's wife Marie Kojzar, where do they live and do they have any children?
ADAM SCOTT has had top four finishes in all of golf's major tournaments. The 2013 Masters champion secretly married Marie Kojzar in 2014, just after Scott claimed the green jacket. Advertisement 2 Marie Kojzar (middle) watching on at the 2019 Presidents Cup Credit: GETTY 2 Marie Kojzar (middle) supporting Adam Scott Credit: GETTY Scott features in The Aussie dated Kojzar for seven years before going their separate ways in 2008. US OPEN LIVE - LATEST UPDATES The pair then got back together in 2013, just after Scott's Masters triumph. Advertisement READ MORE ON GOLF Who is Adam Scott's wife Marie Kojzar? Kojzar was born in Stockholm, Sweden, before attending the Royal School of Art in London. She once worked as an au pair for European Ryder Cup champion Now, Kojzar is an architect and interior designer who has worked for many firms in Sweden and the United Kingdom. Eventually, she decided to start her own firm alongside her business partner. Advertisement Most read in Golf Where do Adam Scott and Marie Kojzar live? The couple have many properties around the world, including a home in Scott's native country of Australia. They also have a residence on the sunny island of the Bahamas. Do Adam Scott and Marie Kojzar have any children? The pair had their first child Bo Vera in 2015. Bo Vera was born in Queensland, Australia, at Pindara Private Hospital, close to where Adam Scott grew up. Advertisement They also have another child called Byron.
