That the major doesn’t start until the back nine on Sunday remains one of golf’s oldest clichés, but for Rory McIlroy it may never have felt so devastatingly accurate. The Northern Irishman had a two-shot lead at the turn at St Andrews and an end to an eight-year major drought looked more certain with each stride through the wind away from the clubhouse. Then Cameron Smith mounted a shot with such ruthless brilliance that even a course steeped in history like this one had no choice but to bow to him. After starting four shots off McIlroy’s lead, six birdies in the final nine holes gave the Australian his first major title with a record low 20-under par at the Open.
This 150th Open Championship was a glorious ceasefire in golf’s civil war – though not if rumors of Smith’s potential defection to LIV Golf come to pass – but it will be best remembered as another agonizing near-miss for McIlroy. who showed such great composure in the last group alongside Victor Hovland, only to be constantly betrayed by his pater. A round of 70 was hardly a bust, but it was the worst of those to finish on the front page of the leaderboard, and he was even pushed into second last place when Cameron Young made a remarkable Open debut with an eagle.
McIlroy’s frustrations would continue, but Smith’s back nine would go down as one of the best in Open history, and the way he managed to clinch victory by avoiding the road hole crash and then bogeying the last was worthy of legend . It was made all the more impressive by how the 28-year-old grabbed it in the eye of the storm as all of St Andrews drove McIlroy to the finish line. “I thought the fans were great today,” McIlroy said afterward. “I thought they were really, really good. She is incredibly supportive. I wish I could give them a little more to be happy about. There’s a decent winner on the 18th green right now.”
Cameron Smith in the final round
(EPA)
One of the highlights of this Open will go down to McIlroy as the tip of the hat to Tiger Woods on Friday afternoon. It felt like a passing of the torch, but as Woods’ ice melted into tears at Swilcan Bridge, his old ruthless edge was what McIlroy so desperately needed. He had targeted the first tee with a laser-like focus that kept all nerves at bay, but while Woods’ aura struck fear into the hearts of his opponents, McIlroy and Hovland shared smiles rather than growls and there was no early dagger in this. which was supposedly a two-horse race.
Time would prove all that, but it still took some time for Smith’s rebellion to materialize. While both McIlroy and Hovland started with a hat trick, alternating shots through the hole and then dribbling, only Jordan Spieth made a significant jump up the rankings. After starting about eight shots behind, four birdies in seven holes still wasn’t going to be enough. Bryson DeChambeau’s 66 and Tommy Fleetwood’s 67 were always too little, too late.
And so when the friendly atmosphere of the final group shootout became thicker with tension, it was Hovland whose gun backfired first. A worrying three-hit streak gave credence to those who pointed out that despite the Norwegian’s proven talent, he has been more unhinged in the majors. His mistake gave McIlroy an outright lead and cheers echoed from the fourth green to the far end of the Old Course, which meets the mouth of Eden.
Rory McIlroy dropped his lead
(EPA)
Cameron Young made a remarkable debut
(EPA)
At this stage, McIlroy looked so confident and in complete command of his emotions. His driver was like a controlled explosion, just as deadly, but without any additional collateral, leaving him in a position to attack almost any flag. A two-stroke birdie on the par 5 was a formality, but from there the accuracy of McIlroy’s approaches and his putting began to waver. After another big drive left him just 56 yards from the pin on six, he opted to hit all the way through the waves and up the steep ridge that guards the green. His ball almost crawled to the top, roared up the last few steps of the crowd, but a 16-foot birdie putt dropped low over the hole. The ninth shorter chance suffered the same fate.
Before Sunday’s Ryder Cup singles last September, with the US team already on course for a landslide victory, Woods sent a message to Steve Stricker. The text, which was read in the dressing room, read: “Step on their necks.” Perhaps this is the kind of vulgar, unapologetic attitude needed to dominate such a noble game. McIlroy had kept a firm hand on his lead, making the turn on 35 to stay two clear, but a clenched fist still lacked a decisive putt.
Just then Smith attacked with all the vigor and sharpness that McIlroy had been crying out for. You can trace the historic back nines that have won this tournament like veins beneath the baked skin of its fairways. Even then, there are still few that can get the blood pumping as furiously as five consecutive birdies combined. His approach game was exquisite and his putting carried all the smooth assurance that made him the 36-hole leader on Friday. When the Australian teed off on the 14th, he hadn’t grabbed the lead, but wrestled it out of McIlroy’s hands.
“I think it’s very easy to defend there and keep hitting it to 60, 70 feet and you can make pars all day but you’re not going to make birdies,” Smith said. “I think my mindset would have been a little different, especially on that back nine, if I was ahead. My second shot to 13 was really when I thought we could win this thing.”
McIlroy still had chances, but the collective sighs around the green began to become painfully familiar after his putt died just inches short of the 13th hole and another birdie chance went begging on the par 5. They were replaced by forward gasps that they said Smith’s prosecution should finally be stopped. No Open at St Andrews is complete without a dramatic header at the Road Hole, and after pulling his approach, Smith had to round the cavernous bunker to put himself within 10 feet to save par. There could hardly have been a greater test of nerve, but Smith remained incredibly cool as the ball rolled dead center of the hole. From just a few feet further on almost the same line, McIlroy’s putt dropped low again and no amount of longing could shift the contours in his favor.
Smith stepped on the final tee knowing that a birdie would almost certainly be enough to seal it. After all, that was the least that was required after Young’s eagle. But once he got to the front of the green, Smith refused to waver, and McIlroy was left to take the greatest walk in golf, while once again ruining what could have been.
Add Comment