AR
It all seemed to be going so well. Rory McIlroy arrived in Scotland rested and eager to repeat the success he had here in 2024, just a week before the year’s final major. After rounds of 65 and 66, the Masters champion was tied for the lead heading into the weekend. Then the weather, and, apparently, his swing changed.
After fog delayed play early on Saturday, the final group didn’t tee off until 6pm local time at The Renaissance Club. They got eight holes in before play was suspended again, this time for the day. In those eight holes, McIlroy played himself out of the tournament. He played those in three over par. From tied to the lead, he slipped outside the top 25.
“I was pretty much in control of everything after the first two days, and then it was a long day yesterday,” he said after his final round.
However, an early alarm clock on Sunday morning, a range session with his coach Michael Bannon and more visible conditions led McIlroy to almost believe the impossible was possible in the final round. Starting the day six shots behind the leaders, the Northern Irishman shot 64 and finished in a tie for seventh at 12 under, five shots behind winner Tom Kim.
“It’s nice to sign this week off with a good score,” McIlroy said. “There’s definitely some positive signs.”
This was only the 37-year-old’s fifth start in 12 weeks since defending his green jacket at Augusta and he leaves Scotland admitting he has some work to do if he wants to compete for a second Claret Jug next week at Royal Birkdale.
“I know I need to do a bit of work between now and next Thursday to feel really comfortable with my game. But I don’t feel like it’s too far away,” McIlroy said.
So what does McIlroy need to find when he arrives in Southport? A right-to-left wind, supposedly.
“I just need to hit some balls in a right-to-left wind,” he said. “That usually helps me. Again, it’s the same thing that I get a lot when I start hitting balls in a left-to-right wind like it has been over the weekend. My path and my face just get too far apart… and I start hitting these left shots, especially with the irons.”
Luckily for the World No. 2, players at the Open will be using the driving range of nearby Hillside next week, with the usual Birkdale range being reserved for a spectator village. The prevailing wind there? Right-to-left.
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