Rory McIlroy showed his true character while speaking about Scottie Scheffler’s impressive Open triumph. The American cruised to a dominant four-shot victory at Royal Portrush to lift his second major trophy of the year. It means he will have the opportunity to complete the career Grand Slam at next year’s US Open.
Scheffler went into the final day with a four-shot advantage and made three birdies in his first five holes. He was five strokes ahead going into the back nine despite carding a double-bogey on the eighth hole. The 29-year-old added another birdie to secure a three-under 68 and get his hands on the Claret Jug for the first time.
McIlroy, who sealed the career Grand Slam at the Masters back in April, was full of praise for Scheffler after stepping off the course.
“Yeah, none of us could hang with Scottie this week,” he said. “He’s an incredible player. He’s been dominant this week but honestly, he’s been dominant for the last couple of years. He is the bar that we’re all trying to get to.
“In a historical context, you could argue there’s only two or three players in history of the game who have been on a run like the one Scottie has been on for the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive.
“He’s a very worthy winner but also he’s a great person and I think he’s a wonderful ambassador for the game as well. I’m really happy for him and [his wife] Meredith and his family.”
Before the start of the tournament, Scheffler revealed that being successful at golf did not fulfil him and that he was more interested in being a good husband and father.
He revisited those comments after winning The Open, claiming they were taken out of context and insisting that he was not disrespecting the tournament or the sport as a whole.
“I think it really underestimates what I was trying to communicate,” explained Scheffler. “Maybe I didn’t do as effective of a job as I hoped to in communicating that.
“At the end of the day, I have a tremendous amount of gratitude towards moments like these. I literally worked my entire life to become good at this game and play this game for a living.
“It’s one of my greatest joys of my life to compete out here. To be able to win The Open here at Portrush is a feeling that’s really hard to describe.
“This is amazing to win the Open Championship, but at the end of the day, having success in life, whether it be in golf, work, whatever it is, that’s not what fulfils the deepest desires of your heart.”