Rory McIlroy, the renowned golfer, believes that his recent victory at the Scottish Open served as the perfect groundwork for his upcoming challenge at The Open Championship. Having triumphed at Royal Liverpool in 2014 and aiming to end a nine-year drought in the majors, McIlroy expressed his satisfaction with the ideal preparation he received from his win.
Reflecting on his performance, the Northern Irishman stated, “I couldn’t have asked for better preparation.” He shared his enthusiasm with Sport Newes Center NI, emphasizing the remarkable finish in the last two holes of the Scottish Open, which he considered a fitting way to enter this week’s tournament.
Despite the adverse weather conditions, including thunderstorms and high winds, the final round of the Scottish Open was rescheduled to the morning. Nonetheless, players still encountered challenging circumstances along the East Lothian coast near Edinburgh. McIlroy’s ability to birdie the final two holes at the Renaissance Club, including an exceptional 200-yard shot under the wind that led to a winning birdie, enabled him to clinch victory by a narrow margin over home favorite Bob MacIntyre.
Recounting those pivotal moments, McIlroy remarked, “The way I played the last two holes, going into the next few months and seasons, I can always draw on that memory of being able to get it done under the toughest of conditions.” The 34-year-old golfer regarded it as an extraordinary finish, providing him with the perfect momentum heading into The Open Championship.
McIlroy noted that this marked his return to the Wirral course, where he secured one of his four major titles to date in 2014. At the time, he became only the third player, following Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, to claim three majors before the age of 25, as well as the first European to win three different major titles.
Following his success in 2014, McIlroy clinched another US PGA Championship a month later, leading to golfing legend Jack Nicklaus suggesting, “I think Rory has an opportunity to win 15 or 20 majors.” However, despite numerous victories on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, McIlroy has been unable to expand his major tally since then.
Remarkably, there have been only ten players who have won majors with a longer duration between victories than McIlroy’s eight years and 347 days since his 2014 US PGA triumph up until this Sunday at Hoylake. Julius Boros holds the record with 11 years and nine days between his US Open wins in 1952 and 1963.
McIlroy’s consistency has been evident as he has achieved top-10 finishes in at least two majors every year since his last triumph. In 2022, he recorded four top-10 finishes and followed up by finishing joint seventh at the US PGA in May after missing the cut at the Masters in April. Additionally, he secured a runner-up position at last month’s US Open.
Reflecting on his journey, the world number two golfer stated, “I’ve had so many close calls since.” He expressed his heightened motivation to succeed in this year’s tournament, surpassing the drive he had in 2014. McIlroy looks forward to the challenge, aiming to rectify his major championship record.
Returning to a major venue where he emerged victorious in the past, McIlroy expressed his contentment. While he does not frequently contemplate his previous triumph, he acknowledged the pleasant experience of revisiting and familiarizing himself with the course. However, he humorously added, “It also makes you feel a bit old.”
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about golf tournament preparation
Q: What tournament did Rory McIlroy win prior to The Open Championship?
A: Rory McIlroy won the Scottish Open before The Open Championship.
Q: How did Rory McIlroy describe his victory at the Scottish Open?
A: Rory McIlroy described his victory at the Scottish Open as “perfect preparation” for The Open Championship.
Q: When did Rory McIlroy win his sole Claret Jug?
A: Rory McIlroy won his sole Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool in 2014.
Q: What are the major challenges faced by players at the Scottish Open?
A: Players at the Scottish Open had to battle tough conditions, including thunderstorms and high winds, along the East Lothian coast.
Q: How did Rory McIlroy finish the Scottish Open?
A: Rory McIlroy birdied the final two holes of the Scottish Open, hitting a superb low 200-yard shot under the wind to set up a winning birdie.
Q: How long has it been since Rory McIlroy’s last major victory?
A: It has been eight years and 347 days since Rory McIlroy’s last major victory, which was the 2014 US PGA Championship.
Q: How many majors has Rory McIlroy won so far?
A: Rory McIlroy has won four major titles to date.
Q: What record does Julius Boros hold in terms of the longest gap between major wins?
A: Julius Boros holds the record for the longest gap between major wins, with 11 years and nine days between his US Open wins in 1952 and 1963.
Q: How has Rory McIlroy performed in majors since his last victory?
A: Rory McIlroy has consistently finished in the top 10 of at least two majors every year since his last victory.
Q: How does Rory McIlroy feel about his chances at The Open Championship?
A: Rory McIlroy is more driven to succeed this year than he was in 2014 and hopes to change his major championship record at The Open Championship.
More about golf tournament preparation
- Scottish Open
- Royal Liverpool
- The Open Championship
- Rory McIlroy Official Website
- Sport Newes Center NI
- BBC Sport
- Jack Nicklaus
- Tiger Woods
- Julius Boros
- PGA Tour
- DP World Tour
5 comments
julius boros holds the record for the longest gap between major wins. wow, that’s impressive. i wonder if rory can break that record. he’s been so close to winning another major, it’s time for him to shine again.
rory’s victory at the scottish open shows he’s in great form. it’s the perfect preparation for the open championship. i have a feeling he’s going to make a strong comeback and show everyone why he’s one of the best in the game.
the scottish open is a tough tournament, especially with the bad weather. but rory pulled through and won it! that’s some serious golf skills right there. can’t wait to see him play at royal liverpool!
it’s so cool that rory won his sole claret jug at royal liverpool. that must bring back some amazing memories. i hope he can tap into that winning mindset and bring home another major title. rooting for you, rory!
rory mcilroy is such an amazing golfer! i remember when he won the open championship in 2014, it was epic. but he hasn’t won a major in like forever. hope he breaks the drought this time! go rory!