Rory McIlroy WINS The BRITISH OPEN GOLF Tournament 2014 :
Global player: Rory McIlroy will compete on several tours around the world this year
Daily Mail UK, 20 July 2014
Rory McIlroy Wins First Open Title at Hoylake to Secure his Third Grand Slam Triumph
- Rory McIlroy wins 2014 Open Championship at Hoylake
- Northern Irishman finishes on -17 to secure third Grand Slam victory
- Adds to his 2011 US Open title and 2012 USPGA triumph
- Sergio Garcia of Spain and Rickie Fowler of USA tie for second on -15
Rory McIlroy has joined the pantheon of golfing greats by winning his first Open title – and his third in total – at the age of 25 following a thrilling final round at Hoylake.In the history of the game only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods – the two greatest players of them all - had won three majors by that tender age, but that is the exalted company McIlroy is now keeping.
McIlroy had to hold off a charge from Sergio Garcia to lift the Claret Jug for the first time, and is now three quarters of the way to a career grand slam in majors, having already won the US Open and US PGA Championship.
Aloft: Rory McIlroy holds the Claret Jug after winning the Open
Winner: Rory McIlroy celebrates victory on the 18th at the 2014 Open Championship
Lead from the font: The Northern Irishman finished the week on -17
Teamwork: McIlroy with his caddie JP Fitzgerald
Hats off: McIlroy won his first Open by two shots
Embrace: The champion celebrates with his mum after securing the win
Only the Masters remains to be conquered, and given that Augusta National is almost tailor-made for McIlroy’s huge hitting game, surely it is only a matter of time before the Northern Irishman completes the full set.
McIlroy began the day with a huge six-shot advantage over Rickie Fowler but the orange-clad American was not able to challenge his playing partner.
Instead the man who came closest to hunting McIlroy down was Garcia, who imploded here dressed in yellow eight years ago when Tiger Woods won and then told friends he had just ‘bludgeoned Tweety Pie’.
But, despite Garcia’s brilliant round of 66, McIlroy closed out a two-shot victory with a closing 71 and a winning total of 271 strokes - 17 under par.
If McIlroy was feeling any nerves as he stood on the first tee those were immediately settled when he crunched a bullet drive down the first fairway before draining a putt from 15 feet for an opening birdie and stretched his lead to seven strokes.
Grandstand: Fans watch on as Woods putts on the fifth
On course: McIlroy reaches for a ball during practice before heading out
Chip out: McIlroy in the rough
Sandstorm: Rickie Fowler plays out of a bunker on the 6th
Focus: Woods catches a ball as he lines one up during the final round
Old head: Five-time Open champion Tom Watson carded a 68 on the final round
But Garcia also birdied the first, and two more followed at the third and fifth holes as the Spaniard overtook Fowler as McIlroy’s nearest challenger.
McIlroy dropped two shots in successive holes at the fifth and sixth, but still led by four heading into the back nine after picking one back at the short ninth.
The Spaniard, however, made his big move by eagling the long 10th hole and by the 13th McIlroy’s lead was just two strokes. But once Gaarcia left a bunker shot in the sand at the 15th victory was all but assured.
Hoylake stood to acclaim McIlroy as he walked down the 18th fairway. They knew they were witnessing the latest step on McIlroy’s path to golfing immortality.
Spectated: Woods watches his approach shot with a group of fans on the seventh
Grassy knoll: Luke Donald tries to get one out of a bunker
Fallen: Last year's champion Phil Mickelson of USA surrendered his title
Way out: Woods and girlfriend Lindsey Vonn make their way out
'It feels incredible,' McIlroy told the BBC. 'Today wasn't easy. There were a lot of guys making runs at me and I just needed to stay focused, keep in the present and concentrate on what I was doing out there.
'To be three legs towards the career grand slam at the age of 25 is a pretty good achievement. It's not going to sink in for a while."
Asked if he always felt in control, McIlroy added: 'The lead never got less than two. I always felt I had that little bit of a cushion.
'I knew I had some holes where I could make birdie and 16 was the real hole for me which I think settled the championship.'
Speaking about the bet struck by his father and three friends, he added: 'I don't think it matters so much to my dad anymore but the team-mates he did it with, I think they're a little happier. Hopefully the bet still stands. I'm not quite sure but if it does then that'd be great.'
In a hole: Martin Kaymer of Germany plays from a bunker on the 18th
Crouch: Spain's Sergio Garcia on the fairway
Onto the green: Dustin Johnson chipping to the hole on the first
Britons: Fans dressed in Union Jack attire watch McIlroy
Eyed up: McIlroy trying to maintain a six-shot lead going into the final day
Making way: Ireland's Shane Lowry heads up the fairway on the 18th
Pressure: McIlroy saw his lead cut as the day went on
Centre of attention: Dustin Johnson of the USA hits one out the rough
Huddle: Photographers gather during the final round
Mistake: Sergio Garcia leaves his ball in the bunker on the 15th
Wilderness: Adam Scott hits tee shot of the 14th
GOLF- Final Day - Leaderboard