Rory McIlroy hailed the work ethic of new US Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick after sharing a personal moment with the emotional Englishman as he walked off the 18th green at Brookline.
Fitzpatrick held his nerve down the stretch to secure his first ever major title, finishing one shot clear of World No1 Scottie Scheffler and Will Zalatoris who tied for second.
And McIlroy, who finished T5, four shots off the champion, was one of the first to embrace the 27-year-old as he made his way off the final green.
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The World No2 could be overheard on Sky Sports praising his former Ryder Cup teammate’s dedication and determination to add a maiden major to his CV.
“All that work pays off,” said McIlroy. “So happy for you, I’m so happy for you.”
Prior to the final round, McIlroy had said he was “one great round” from claiming a fifth major title, but he endured a mixed bag of five birdies and four bogeys in an eventful round.
The Holywood golfer eventually signed off with a 69 to finish tied for fifth with Collin Morikawa.
“It was a bit of a rollercoaster on the front nine, bogeys and birdies,” said McIlroy. “I needed to shoot a 65 or a 66 to get the job done and I just wasn’t quite on it enough to do that.
“I still felt like I played well and shot a solid round of golf, but just not quite good enough to contend.”
McIlroy’s attention will soon turn to the final major of 2020 when the old course at St Andrews plays host to the 150th Open Championship on July 14.
The little matter of adding a fifth major to his CV and ending an eight-year wait for a major title will be high on his agenda heading to Scotland.
.“I guess another top five in a major doesn’t really mean anything, but my game’s there," he said. “I’ve got one more start next week in Hartford (Travelers Championship) before I go to the Open.
"I’ll then get two weeks of good rest before the Open and play some links golf and prepare. My game’s in good shape so I’ve got one more chance this year to try to get that major.”
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