PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Rory McIlroy’s Masters victory lap was supposed to be over by now. He said it himself last month, on the eve of the U.S. Open: “At some point, you have to realize that there's a little bit more golf left to play this season.” Oakmont, predictably, did not offer an easy re-entry point to the real world. But here, in his home country, Rory figured to get back to the grind.
He has. But he is still floating. As he went to mark his ball on the 12th green Sunday, McIlroy acknowledged the cheers in a way that went just beyond professional courtesy. He lingered for an extra moment; he knew they were not just applauding his most recent shot. He then hit his perfect 56-foot putt with exactly as much pace as it needed—enough to creep over a ridge and pour into the cup.
