It will be of scant consolation to Rory McIlroy that Cameron Smith produced a major championship final round for the ages to claim the 150th Open. McIlroy found himself standing short of the Valley of Sin, wedge in hand, needing to hole out for a two to join Smith in a playoff. The crowd offered an impromptu roar in vain hope of sporting fairytale. How had it come to this?
There was to be no miracle moment. McIlroy’s wait for a fifth major success will rumble into 2023. Salt was rubbed into McIlroy’s wounds by the fact he did not even finish second here. A 72nd-hole eagle from Cameron Young, who enjoyed an outstanding Open debut, afforded him the runner-up spot. Smith’s 20 under par saw off Young by one and a rueful but magnanimous McIlroy by two.
