Rory McIlroy is ready to complete his grand slam and rule the world

Open champion says that he is setting his sights on the Masters

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Sand stormer: Rory McIlroy blasts out of a bunker

Kevin Garside

21 July 2014

It was the first of many laps of honour, an impromptu signing session at the end of his media conference. Open flags, giant golf balls, sundry memorabilia presented to the new Open Champion so that he may glorify mundane items with his moniker.

Everything Rory McIlroy touches turns to gold. His two-shot victory at Hoylake yesterday was his third Major triumph and moves him into exalted company. Only five golfers in the modern era have won a Major before their 26th birthday, Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods.

Only Nicklaus and Woods have done what he has, win three by 25. He is one leg away from the career grand slam. Only the Masters eludes him, and he almost had that in the bag, surrendering a four-shot lead on the final day three years ago. This is a different species to the cherubic fellow who collapsed so dramatically at Augusta. And he is ready to rule the world.

“I’ve talked about this a little bit this year in press conferences, and some of the guys will have heard me say that golf is looking to someone to put their hand up and try to dominate the game.

“I said at that time I want to be that person. I want be to be the guy that goes on and wins Majors, wins tournaments. I’d love to be in that position. I’ve had chances before to kick on from there. I did after my second Major at Kiawah. I kicked on for another six months and played really well. I feel like there’s a lot more left in me.

“Golf is 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 know there is one Major left this year [US PGA] and I’ll be trying my best, but I’m looking forward to next April [Masters] and trying to complete the career grand slam.”

After 18 holes with McIlroy yesterday, Ricky Fowler needs no persuading that the grand slam is on. “I don’t see any reason why he’s not going to win [at Augusta]. Definitely fits his game. It’s hard to say that there’s really any course that doesn’t suit him when he’s on his game. I’ve seen him play very well there. It’s just a matter of time.”

Only five men have done it, Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Nicklaus, Gary Player and Woods. McIlroy sits alongside the likes of Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Sam Snead, Walter Hagen and Lee Trevino as one of only 11 to have claimed three legs of the fabled four. Given the nature of his failure at Augusta to win there will feel special, but it is unlikely to top the feeling he experienced at Hoylake.

McIlroy started the final day with a six-shot advantage. No lead is armour-plated, as Ernie Els proved coming from six back to win in 2012 and Phil Mickelson by five at Muirfield last year. Though Sergio Garcia (66) and Fowler (67) threw everything at him, closing to two shots around the turn, McIlroy’s nerve held magnificently.

The cushion stood at three when he walked to the 18th tee. He was never going to budge from there. He tapped in for his par and a round of 71, taking him to 17 under par, one shy of Woods’s aggregate eight years ago. His mother Rose was the first to reach him with a tearful embrace on the green. His father Gerry intercepted him by the scorer’s hut, where pandemonium was breaking out. In victory McIlroy had won his father and three of his friends a share of a £200,000 bonus courtesy of a bet they placed 10 years ago that he would win the Open before he was 26. In his father’s case, it was not the money that made his eyes sparkle.

“I’m immensely proud of myself. To sit here 25 years of age and win my third Major and be three-quarters of the way to the career grand slam, yeah, I never dreamed of being at this point in my career so quickly,” said McIlroy.

“I had a great feeling all week. I knew I was playing well. It feels absolutely incredible. The Open 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, whoever. I didn’t quite need to hole a putt today to do it, just a little tap-in, which was nice.

“It’s sort of cool that they put your name on there even before you get it. So that was a nice little touch. It hasn’t really sunk in. The more I keep looking at this trophy and seeing my name on it, the more it will start sinking in.”

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