Rory McIlroy stayed in Rusack's Hotel last week and every time he walked out of reception and onto The Links road bordering the Old Course, he visualised his name on top of that famous blue and yellow leaderboard.
It was up there for real for more than 24 hours from Saturday afternoon until the 14th fairway on Sunday when Cameron Smith overtook him.
A keen fisherman, Smith reeled in the biggest catch of his career with four holes to go at St Andrews.
Read more: Open heartache for Rory McIlroy as Australian Cameron Smith lifts the Claret Jug
Fifty years on from fellow Aussie Ken Nagel winning here, Smith's thrilling closing 64 punished the Ulsterman's conservative approach and "stone-cold" putter.
The man with the mullet went out in the penultimate group with Cameron Young and claimed his first major title with memorable swagger, firing off five birdies after the turn.
For McIlroy, the week had been about the quest for the Holy Grail. In the end, he had to settle for third behind Smith and the American big-hitter Young. There was to be no fairytale ending.
Later, when McIlroy was asked in the mixed zone had his mind wandered at any stage to him lifting the Claret Jug again, Smith was doing just that for real on the 18th green.
"I'm only human, I'm not a robot," said McIlroy. "Of course you think about it and want to envision it.
"My hotel room is directly opposite the big yellow board on 18 there, right of the 1st. Every time I go out, I'm trying to envision 'McIlroy' as the top name on that leaderboard.
"At the start of the day, it was at the top, but at the start of tomorrow, it won't be. You've got to let yourself dream, to let yourself think about what it would be like.
"But once I was on the course, it was just task at hand and trying to play the best golf I possibly could. There's a worthy winner right on the 18th green right now.
“Look, I got beaten by a better player this week; 20 under par for four rounds of golf around here is really, really impressive, especially to go out and shoot 64 today to get it done.
“I’ll rue a few missed putts that slid by, but it’s been a good week overall. I can’t be too despondent because of how 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 keep knocking on the door, and eventually one will open. 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.
"It’s one that I feel like I let slip away, but there will be other opportunities. I’ve just got to keep putting myself in position, keep putting myself in there. And whenever you put yourself in that shining light, you’re going to have to deal with setbacks and deal with failures.
“Today is one of those times. But I just have to dust myself off and come again and keep working hard and keep believing.”
Jack Nicklaus once said that if you're going to be a player that people will remember, you have to win the Open at St Andrews. Speaking on Tuesday, McIlroy wouldn't go quite that far.
“I don’t know if a golfer’s career isn’t complete if you don’t, but I think it’s the Holy Grail of our sport,” he remarked.
McIlroy dreamt of becoming a member of that exclusive club of St Andrews Open champions that includes Sam Snead, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Nicklaus and Woods, who both won it twice on the sport's most hallowed ground.
To do it on the 150th staging of this championship would have felt like the fulfilment of destiny for the people's champion.
Instead, McIlroy's long wait for another major continues - stretching all the way back to 2014, when he won the Open at Hoylake and the US PGA championship in quick succession.
The golfing world lay at his feet then. There have been massive highs since, most notably when he won the FedEx Cup and was PGA Player of the Year in 2019, but he has also suffered intense lows.
Tears flowed for McIlroy after the Ryder Cup last year and, certainly, this is another body blow.
He will forever know that he had one hand on the Claret Jug on the most special stage of all.
READ NEXT
-
NI manager's reaction to England's fifth goal at Euro finals "a bit disappointing", says Ian Wright
-
Old Firm giants Celtic in the hunt for talented Glentoran teenager Francis Turley
-
NI teenager Sean McAllister eager to follow Price path after signing new Everton deal
-
Irish League goalkeeper John Connolly seeking new club after committing to play on at 45
Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox.
