After claret jug, McIlroy wants green jacket
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, July 22, 2014
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Rory McIlroy finished 17-under to win the Open Championship and complete the third leg of the career Grand Slam. |
Rory McIlroy clutched the treasured piece of silverware, his reward for winning golf's oldest major championship.
Now he's got his eyes on a new jacket. Something in green, preferably.
With a grind-it-out performance on the final day of the British Open, McIlroy checked off another requirement for joining perhaps the most exclusive club in the game.
US Open? He's won that. PGA Championship? Yep, got one of those too.
British Open? Took care of that on Sunday.
"I'm immensely proud of myself," McIlroy said, clutching the claret jug after a two-shot victory over Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler. "To sit here at 25 years of age and win my third major championship and be three-quarters of the way to the career grand slam, I never dreamed of being at this point in my career so quickly."
All that's left is the Masters.
Get ready, Augusta National. This guy isn't very patient.
"I really don't have any doubt that he'll win there," American Fowler said. "It's just a matter of time."
Unlike his first two major titles — eight-shot runaways at both the 2011 US Open and the 2012 PGA Championship — McIlroy had to sweat this one out a bit. He didn't play his best, settling for a 1-over 71 that was his highest score of the week. He bogeyed two straight holes on the front side, giving his challengers a glimmer of hope. But it was never really in doubt, his lead never less than two shots.
"I always felt like I had that little bit of a cushion," the Northern Irishman said.
All along, he had his eyes on a bigger prize.
The grand slam.
With his victory at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, McIlroy became the third-youngest player — behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods — to win three of the four majors. Nicklaus, Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen are the only players to capture all four, a feat that eluded such greats as Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead.
Indeed, a pretty exclusive club.
"I just want to be the best golfer that I can be," McIlroy said. "I know if I can do that, then trophies like this are within my capability. I'd love to win a lot more and I'm really looking forward to ... next April and trying to complete the career grand slam."
Nicklaus, who has won more major titles (18) than anyone, has long been impressed with McIlroy's potential.
The Golden Bear liked what he saw on Sunday, watching the finale on TV. "I like his swagger," he said in a message posted on Facebook page. "I like the way he handles himself. I like his desire to be great. I like his desire to do the things he needs to do. I like that in a young guy. He's cocky in a nice way."
McIlroy became the new world No. 2 after his victory lifted him six places in the rankings.
Australia's Adam Scott kept the No. 1 spot after finishing in a tie for fifth, five shots behind the Northern Irishman.
Sweden's Henrik Stenson dropped to No. 3 while Justin Rose of England is fourth and Spaniard Garcia rose from ninth to fifth.
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