'i Got Everything I Wanted But The Claret Jug'

Rory McIlroy was wished to soak it each successful this time.

Six years ago, erstwhile nan Open Championship returned to Royal Portrush for nan first clip successful 68 years, nan prima attraction chose isolation. He tried to unrecorded retired nan week successful his ain world and fto everything other hap astir him.

This week, he has embraced location comforts and accepted nan adulation, from his red-eye Monday believe information done to being roared connected by thousands connected nan 72nd hole.

He has fixed group his time, signed countless autographs, acknowledged adoring fans successful betwixt shots.

He moreover gave everyone a prize look astatine nan Green Jacket.

The consequence has been a week that, successful his words, had everything but his 2nd Claret Jug. His consolation was 1 of nan astir affectional receptions he has ever knowledgeable connected a play course.

As he strode towards nan last greenish connected Sunday, McIlroy admirably held it together. Clearly, it wasn't easy.

"I tried arsenic champion arsenic I could to support my emotions successful check, particularly stepping up nan past location and that reception," said McIlroy, who closed pinch a two-under 69 to decorativeness 7 adrift of Scottie Scheffler.

"It's been an awesome week. I've gotten everything I wanted retired of this week isolated from a Claret Jug, and that's conscionable because 1 personification was conscionable a small spot amended than nan remainder of us.

"I consciousness truthful thankful and conscionable truthful fortunate that I get to do this, I get to do this successful beforehand of this crowd. Hopefully I'll person 1 aliases 2 Opens near here, if nan R&A determine to support coming back, astir apt 1 while I'm still competitory and different 1 while I'm much grey than I already am."

McIlroy's play was a microcosm of his career. At times, he was a showman (Saturday's eagle connected 12), while astatine others he sewage successful his ain measurement (three bogeys successful 4 holes connected Thursday and a double astatine 10 connected Sunday).

Ultimately, he gave himself excessively overmuch to do going into nan last round. Trailing Scheffler by six, McIlroy needed speedy birdies to ignite nan crowd and make nan frontrunner arsenic uncomfortable arsenic possible.

A two-under 34 connected nan beforehand 9 grounded to do that and erstwhile McIlroy frittered distant 2 shots connected nan 10th, it was clear nan title was beyond his reach.

The crowd remained huge, but nan power was different to Saturday, and that "keep your caput up, Rory" could beryllium heard regularly was a reflection of a situation fizzling out.

"I felt for illustration I did well...eight, nine, and 10 coming were nan ones that killed me," he added.

"Not that...I was ne'er going to get to 17-under, I don't think."

A necktie for seventh drew nan curtain connected an unforgettable awesome play for McIlroy.

It started pinch nan profession precocious astatine nan Masters arsenic he realised a lifelong ambition and yet completed his profession Grand Slam. A period later, he hardly collapsed into nan apical 50 astatine nan US PGA Championship, but his week was overshadowed by a grounded driver trial and his media shutout.

He fto his temper get nan amended of him astatine times astatine nan US Open, but nan emotions stirred by Portrush were overmuch much positive.

Now, he tin bespeak during a down period, earlier finishing retired his play pinch nan FedEx Cup play-offs and nan Ryder Cup successful New York.

"I consciousness for illustration being backmost successful Europe for a spot was a bully reset," said McIlroy, who added he will support a ray playing schedule successful bid to beryllium "fresh" for Europe's bid to clasp nan Ryder Cup.

"Yeah, I consciousness for illustration I'm getting backmost to wherever I want to be, and we've still sewage a batch of play near this twelvemonth pinch evidently Ryder Cup being nan large 1 successful location successful September."

McIlroy was keen to praise Scheffler during his last gathering pinch nan media astatine Portrush. Since nan Northern Irishman's triumph astatine Augusta, Scheffler has responded by doubling his awesome tally and ticking disconnected different 2 legs successful his ain slam hunt.

"None of america could bent pinch Scottie this week. He's an unthinkable player. He's been ascendant this week. Honestly, he's been ascendant for nan past mates years. He is nan barroom that we're each trying to get to.

"In a humanities context, you could reason that there's only possibly 2 aliases 3 players successful nan history of nan crippled that person been connected a run, nan 1 that Scottie's been connected present for nan past 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive."

Finally, having buried nan symptom of 2019, McIlroy was asked astir nan imaginable of Opens astatine Portrush successful nan future.

"I deliberation Portrush has quickly turned into 1 of nan champion 2 aliases 3 venues that The Open goes to. Talk to each subordinate this week, and they won't opportunity 1 azygous bad point astir nan play course.

"Then I conscionable deliberation nan measurement it sets up, from a logistical standpoint, I deliberation nan R&A person worked truthful good pinch nan section authorities to make judge everything runs smoothly.

"It's only been six years since 2019. I'm not judge Portrush is going to person The Open each six years, that would beryllium nice, but I would evidently emotion it to support coming back."

If and erstwhile it does, McIlroy will beryllium beforehand and centre. Whenever that is, he'll cognize which attack to take.