'I got everything I wanted but the Claret Jug'
McIlroy's play was a microcosm of his career. At times, he was a showman (Saturday's eagle on 12), while at others he got in his own way (three bogeys in four holes on Thursday and a double at 10 on Sunday). Ultimately, he gave himself too much to do going into the final round. Trailing Scheffler by six, McIlroy needed quick birdies to ignite the crowd and make the frontrunner as uncomfortable as possible. A two-under 34 on the front nine failed to do that and when McIlroy frittered away two shots on the 10th, it was clear the championship was beyond his reach. The crowd remained huge, but the energy was different to Saturday, and that "keep your head up, Rory" could be heard regularly was a reflection of a challenge fizzling out. "I felt like I did well...eight, nine, and 10 today were the ones that killed me," he added."Not that...I was never going to get to 17-under, I don't think."
What's next for McIlroy?
A tie for seventh drew the curtain on an unforgettable major season for McIlroy. It started with the career high at the Masters as he realised a lifelong ambition and finally completed his career Grand Slam. A month later, he barely broke into the top 50 at the US PGA Championship, but his week was overshadowed by a failed driver test and his media shutout. He let his temper get the better of him at times at the US Open, but the emotions stirred by Portrush were much more positive. Now, he can reflect during a down period, before finishing out his season with the FedEx Cup play-offs and the Ryder Cup in New York. "I feel like being back in Europe for a bit was a nice reset," said McIlroy, who added he will maintain a light playing schedule in order to be "fresh" for Europe's bid to retain the Ryder Cup. "Yeah, I feel like I'm getting back to where I want to be, and we've still got a lot of golf left this year with obviously Ryder Cup being the big one in there in September."
'Scheffler the bar we're trying to reach'
McIlroy was keen to praise Scheffler during his final meeting with the media at Portrush. Since the Northern Irishman's triumph at Augusta, Scheffler has responded by doubling his major tally and ticking off another two legs in his own slam hunt. "None of us could hang with Scottie this week. He's an incredible player. He's been dominant this week. Honestly, he's been dominant for the last couple years. He is the bar that we're all trying to get to."In a historical context, you could argue that there's only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run, the one that Scottie's been on here for the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive."Finally, having buried the pain of 2019, McIlroy was asked about the prospect of Opens at Portrush in the future. "I think Portrush has quickly turned into one of the best two or three venues that The Open goes to. Talk to every player this week, and they won't say one single bad thing about the golf course."Then I just think the way it sets up, from a logistical standpoint, I think the R&A have worked so well with the local government to make sure everything runs smoothly. "It's only been six years since 2019. I'm not sure Portrush is going to have The Open every six years, that would be nice, but I would obviously love it to keep coming back."If and when it does, McIlroy will be front and centre. Whenever that is, he'll know which approach to take.
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