Rory McIlroy found it difficult to digest missing out on The Open Championship following Sunday’s final round at St Andrews. McIlroy headed into the final round as the well-backed favourite, and began Sunday tied for the lead with Ryder Cup teammate Viktor Hovland.
It would not be Hovland that would go on to deny McIlroy a first major title in eight years though, as Australian Cameron Smith emerged from four shots behind after shooting a superb eight-under-par 64 to pip the Northern Irishman to the title.
In McIlroy’s defence, the overnight leader did not do much wrong, after carding a bogey-free 70, whilst hitting all 18 greens in regulation during his final round.
However - unlike Smith - the birdie putts would not drop meaning his hunt for a fifth major title goes on. The narrow defeat was certainly a tough one to take at the famous Old Course, and afterwards McIlroy himself admitted he let the title "slip" from his grasp.
Visibly gutted, the Northern Irishman said: “I'm disappointed obviously. I felt like I didn't do much wrong today, but I didn't do much right either. I got beaten by a better player this week. A 20-under par for four rounds of golf around here is really, really impressive.”
The Claret Jug would have been the cherry on top of what has been an impressive year out on the course, with McIlroy clearly looking like he has his mojo back. Looking to stay positive, he went on: “I'll be okay. At the end of the day, it's not life or death. I'll have other chances to win the Open Championship and other chances to win majors.
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"It's one that I feel like I let slip away, but there will be other opportunities. I can't be too despondent because of how this year went and this year's going. I'm playing some of the best golf I've played in a long time. So it's just a matter of keeping knocking on the door, and eventually one will open. I just have to dust myself off and come again and keep working hard and keep believing."
McIlroy’s loss was of course Smith’s gain, as the Australian wrote himself into the history books with his St Andrews win. Talking afterwards, he told the Old Course crowd: “Jeez what a week. I'm going to fall apart here I know! I want to thank the team for all the hard work we've done.
“The last couple of years it has really started to pay off and this one definitely makes it worth it. It was absolutely awesome out there, I thought the course was exactly how an Open Championship should be played; firm and fast, tough pins - it was just unreal."
