Golf: Rory McIlroy Wins British Open

Rory McIlroy wavered a little bit but in the end he had the goods to post the third major of his career. It was a tremendous performance worthy, just like last season, of the Champion Golfer of the Year.

Sunday’s final round of the British Open began with the widespread expectation that Rory McIlroy would glide to his first triumph at golf’s oldest major. He got there all right, bringing outright elation from a home crowd eager to see someone from the United Kingdom take possession of the Claret Jug, but it was good to see the Northern Irishman get squeezed a little along the way.

 

Amazingly, the ability to win a major with someone nipping at his heels was one of the few things McIlroy had left to prove at the age of 25.

 

The Northern Irishman joined Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win three of golf's modern majors by the age of 25.

McIlroy, 25, now just has the Masters left to complete a career Grand Slam.

Starting six clear, McIlroy fired a final-round 71 to finish 17 under as Garcia, who three times got to within two strokes, shot 66 and US Open runner-up Fowler 67.

American Jim Furyk, 44, matched his fourth place in 2006 with a 65 to end 13 under.

 

 

Top 5 Leaderboard

POS	PLAYER	SCORE	THRU	TODAY
1	Rory McIlroy	-17	F	-1
T2	Rickie Fowler	-15	F	-5
T2	Sergio Garcia	-15	F	-6
4	Jim Furyk	-13	F	-7
T5	Marc Leishman	-12	F	-7