Even when you’re Rory McIlroy, sometimes it just isn’t your day

The Northern Irishman held a two-shot lead heading into the turn on the final round at The Open – but Cameron Smith produced magic to take the title, writes Ben Burrows

‘I got beaten by the better man,’ McIlroy admitted (AP)

Sometimes in sport you have to admit that it just wasn’t your day.

That’s where Rory McIlroy found himself on Sunday evening after seeing his hopes of a second Open Championship and a first major title for eight years slip through his fingers at a sun-baked St Andrews.

“I got beaten by the better man,” McIlroy admitted as he watched Cameron Smith soak in the glory on the 18th green of golf’s most famous course.

The Northern Irishman had held a two-shot lead heading into the turn on the final round and went on to shoot a bogey-free two-under-par 70.

That wasn’t to be enough, however, after the relentless Smith fired eight birdies – including a scarcely believable five in a row from the 10th – to card his second 64 of the week to take the title.

His 20 under par finish beats the previous best of 19 under on the Old Course set by Tiger Woods in 2000. Not bad company to be keeping for a first major championship victory.

It means McIlroy’s wait goes on with the 2014 PGA Championship win his last of golf’s traditional four biggest prizes. It ends a year where McIlroy’s resurgence in majors – four top-eight finishes – ultimately went unrewarded. But as so often with sport, he will get another shot at redemption.

“I can’t be too despondent because of how this year went,” he said wistfully. “I’m playing some of the best golf I have done in a long time. It’s just a case of keep knocking on the door.

“I will be OK, it’s not life and death and I will have other chances. My room is directly opposite the big yellow leaderboard behind the 18th and I was trying to envision my name on the top. It was on the top today but it won’t be tomorrow.”

That honour – and the famed Claret Jug – instead went to Smith. The day was his to savour.

Yours,

Ben Burrows

Sports editor