Magnificent McIlroy keeps everyone at arm’s length

The Ulsterman joined those two illustrious names by becoming only the third man in the modern era to win three of the four major titles on offer by the age of 25.

In adding the Open championship to the US Open and 
US PGA he won three and two years ago respectively, McIlroy also becomes the first European to have claimed three-quarters of golf’s grand slam.

Coming a year after he called his own play ‘brain dead’ after he missed the cut at Muirfield, McIlroy produced a master class from start to finish as he led the Open from Thursday morning and sealed the win yesterday.

McIlroy’s 71 gave him a 17-under-par total of 271, two ahead of Sergio Garcia and American Rickie Fowler, who never relented in their pursuit of the Briton, who had begun the final round six shots clear of the latter.

Back up to second in the world rankings, McIlroy needs only to win the Masters to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Nicklaus and Woods as the only men to have won all four majors.

And he insists he has the desire to go on to threaten the major hauls of Nicklaus and Woods, who have won 18 and 14 majors respectively.

“I definitely hope so,” said McIlroy. “I’ve really found my passion again for golf.

“Not that it ever dwindled, but it’s what I think about when I get up in the morning. It’s what I think about when I go to bed.

“I just want to be the best golfer that I can be. And I know if I can do that, then trophies like this are within my capability.

“I’d love to win a lot more and am really looking forward – even though there’s still one major left this year that I want to desperately try and win – to next April and trying to complete the career grand slam.

“Golf is looking to someone to put their hand up and try to dominate and I want to be that person.

“I want be to be the guy that goes on and wins majors and wins majors regularly. I feel like there’s a lot more left in me.”

Even though his lead, that at one stage stretched to seven shots, was eventually whittled down to just two, a victory for McIlroy never looked in any doubt.

He held the likes of Fowler and Garcia at arm’s length, despite the American and the Spaniard shooting rounds of 67 and 66 respectively to finish in a share of second place on 15 under par.

“It feels absolutely incredible,” said McIlroy.

“It’s cool that they put your name on there even before you get it.

“It’s been an incredible week. I’m happy I gave myself enough of a cushion, because there was a lot of guys coming at me, especially Sergio and Rickie.

“Just to be sitting here and looking at the Claret Jug and having my name on it, it’s a great feeling. It obviously hasn’t sunk in yet.

“I’m going to enjoy it and let it sink in (last night) in the company of my friends and family.

“I’m immensely proud of myself. To sit here, 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.

“The Open Championship was the one you really wanted growing up, and the one you holed so many putts on the putting green to win; to beat Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els, whatever.”

The first prize of £975,000 was not the only windfall for the McIlroy family – his father Gerry and three friends each won £50,000 after putting £100 on the then 15-year-old Rory at 500-1 a decade ago to lift the Claret Jug before his 26th birthday.

McIlroy revealed he would look to copy 2013 champion Phil Mickelson by drinking top quality red wine out of the Claret Jug – at least initially – and explained why he had a heckler removed from the crowd on the 16th hole.

“He was giving me grief all day, actually,” said McIlroy. “I sort of put up with it for the first 15 holes and then he deliberately coughed on my downswing on the 16th tee.

“I still hit a great drive but I heard it halfway down and I knew who it was. So I turned around and got him chucked out, thankfully.”

Nicklaus, whose tally of 18 majors is the one that defines greatness and one that McIlroy now chases, said on his Facebook page: “I like his swagger. 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.”