Rory McIlroy’s quest for a fifth Major Championship title will go into its tenth year, after the Northern Irishman’s outside chance to win the Claret Jug on Sunday ended in disappointment.
By the time McIlroy tees it up at the Masters next April, where he missed the cut earlier this year, it will be 32 Majors that he's played in without success.
In truth, going into the final round, his chances of picking up a second Open Championship where he won nine years ago were slim.
A cold week with the putter was largely to blame, his tied sixth-place finish telling you everything about the quality of the rest of his game.
McIlroy admitted there was “nothing spectacular” about his performance at Royal Liverpool, but he remains optimistic going into the rest of the year.
“Solid performance. Improved on my score every day,” said a deflated McIlroy. “Yeah, I missed a few putts yesterday. Felt like I putted a bit better today. It was just hard. I needed to go out and shoot something 63, 64-ish, but really hard to do that in those conditions.
“Just tricky conditions out there, and very reluctant to hit the driver because the club face gets wet and the ball could go anywhere. Sort of had to lay back off tees and try to play as conservatively and as smart as possible.”
Asked whether coming close yet again in a Major was frustrating, McIlroy added: “Over the last two years would I have loved to have picked one of those off that I finished up there? Absolutely.
“Every time I tee it up or most times I tee it up, I'm right there. I can't sit here and be too frustrated. My game is in a… you think about my performances in the Majors between like 2016 and 2019, it's a lot better than that.
“I'm optimistic about the future, and just got to keep plugging away.”
Reminded about his lengthy wait for another Major title and whether it’s just negative people that think of it that way, McIlroy insisted it’s not the way he thinks.
The world number two won back-to-back Majors in 2014 to take his tally to four. First came that dominant display at Hoylake, then, the following month, PGA Championship glory at Valhalla.
It was widely expected that the then 25-year-old would go on to dominate the game and, crucially, it’s biggest four titles.
However, despite reaching world number one and racking up 24 PGA Tour wins, as well as FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai honors, McIlroy has failed to land a Major title since he lifted the Wanamaker Trophy on August 10, 2014.
Since that time he has accumulated a staggering 18 top-10s in the Majors, including three seconds, a third, two fourths and four fifths.
In 2022, the 34-year-old’s worst finish was eighth at the PGA Championship. He came second at the Masters, tied for fifth at the US Open and solo third at St Andrews.
The next men’s Major Championship is the Masters at Augusta National, which gets underway on 11 April, 2014, and McIlroy will be hoping that he can finally claim a Green Jacket to complete the Grand Slam and record that elusive fifth Major.
There’s much still to play for this season on both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, and a certain event in September that will very soon have McIlroy's attention.
McIlroy added: “I think about trying to go and win a fourth FedExCup in a couple weeks' time, go try and win a fifth Race to Dubai, go and win a fifth Ryder Cup. I just keep looking forward.”
