Eight years, 10 months and nine days. Thirty three major championships. The long, occasionally painful, wait for Rory McIlroy to take delivery of a fifth major title looked destined to end at LA Country Club on Sunday. Instead, Wyndham Clark – hitherto with just a single mainstream tour win to his name – prevailed at the US Open.
The Hollywood Hills formed the backdrop to an epic underdog story. The Holywood man was denied once more. It was impossible not to feel sympathy for McIlroy, who has done everything in this sport since August 2014 bar win another of the trophies he craves so much. If there is sporting justice, he will crash through the barrier soon enough.
