Rory McIlroy expressed his admiration for Scottie Scheffler after the world number one denied him the chance of an emotional win in his home Open with a runaway victory at Royal Portrush.
The Northern Irishman began the day six off the lead and he probably knew it was a bridge too far to reel in the in-form American, who had already won the US PGA this year to add to his two Masters titles.
It would have required a fast start and shooting something close to the 61 McIlroy shot on this course as a 16-year-old – virtually impossible in a major setting.
“I wish I had have been closer to Scottie going into today and been able to make a real push but he’s been on a different level all week and he’s been on a different level for the last two years to the rest of us,” he said after his rival won the third leg of the career Grand Slam which McIlroy completed at Augusta in April.
“None of us could live with what he had this week. He is the bar that we’re all trying to get to at this point, so hats off to him.
“I think all you can do is admire what he does and how he does it. I think what he does is one thing, but how he does it is another.
“He just goes about his business, doesn’t do anything overly flamboyant, but he’s the best at executing in the game right now.
“In a historical context, you could argue that there’s only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run, the one that Scottie’s been on here for the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive.
“He’s been absolutely amazing over these past two to three years. He’s an unbelievable player, an incredible champion and a great person too.”
After missing the cut six years ago when The Open returned to Portrush, McIlroy was determined to make it up to the thousands of fans willing him on this week.
But he had too much to do on the last day and a two-under-par 34, including three birdies and a bogey, on the easier front nine, was just not enough.
He was still six shots back at the turn but a double-bogey at the 10th, where he mis-hit a chip, represented the end of his challenge despite two more birdies coming home to finish seventh on 10 under, seven behind Scheffler.
“I felt like I did well. Eight, nine and and 10 were the ones that killed me – not that I was ever going to get to 17-under I don’t think,” he added.
“I could have maybe finished second, which would have been better than where I did finish, but only making par off those tee shots on eight and nine and then the double off of 10 after the flier did me in.
“Then I just tried to play a good back nine and finish as well as I could.”
