Rory McIlroy triumphs at the 143rd Open Championship and becomes the third player in the modern era, after Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, to win three Majors by the age of 25. The young Northern Irishman has already won the US Open in 2011 and the PGA Championship in 2012; to complete the Grand Slam he only lacks the Masters and he will get there if he continues to play so well, especially since Augusta suits him.
In the four days at Royal Liverpool, Rory amazed with his great confidence, especially with the drive. The alleged problems with the equipment are now a pale memory, given the kilometer-long starting shots even in very narrow holes. The Northern Irishman looks more and more like the Tiger Woods of his best times, he is a courageous, confident player, capable of taking the lead in the standings and never leaving it again. In Hoylake he dominated for four days, closing his triumphal march with 271 strokes (-17), ahead of the excellent Sergio Garcia (-15) and Rickie Fowler (-15). McIlory's strength partially killed the show, even if the links are always tricky and a single hole can be fatal. But Rory was also perfect in the difficulties: every time he went off the track, he ran into a bunker, he found himself immersed in the rough. In short, he did little or nothing wrong. His pursuers were good, but they never managed to worry him, even though the gap dropped from six to two on the last lap.
“It's hard to say how I feel right now – comments Rory a few minutes after the victory – it's like I've come a long way in the last 18 months. A lot has happened, even off the golf course. But my determination and hard work paid off." Thoughts inevitably turn to her ex-girlfriend, tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, from whom he separated in May, a few months before the wedding. Perhaps that relationship had upset his inner world. Certainly after the breakup he won two very important tournaments again: the BMW Pga Championship and yesterday even the Major of Majors, The Open. Waiting for him on the green at 18, instead of Caroline, this time there was his mother, who has made so many sacrifices and double jobs to let this talented boy play. His parents have always believed it, to the point that his father Gerry, with three friends, had even bet £400 in 2004 that Rory would win the British Open before the age of 26. That bet was paid 500 to 1 and now Gerry will collect two hundred thousand pounds. It is a drop in the ocean of money that his son now earns, but it is certainly a great satisfaction.
Yesterday's victory will give Rory a notable boost also in the world order of merit, worth one hundred points and will make him climb places in the standings, where he was eighth. Number one remains Adam Scott, who finished the Open in fifth place.
Great tournament also for the Italians: seventh Edoardo Molinari, fifteenth Francesco Molinari, nineteenth Matteo Manassero. It's an extraordinary achievement for blue golf, which has a handful of amateur players but boasts a small group of world-class athletes.
Bad instead Tiger Woods, 69th. The champion got off to a good start, then paid the price of four months away from competitions. His next test will be the Pga Championship, the last Mjor of the year scheduled from August 7 to 10 at the Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky. His season at this point looks compromised and his participation in the Ryder Cup also remains uncertain. Tiger would like to join the team, but captain Tom Watson reiterates that it depends on how he plays. In short, as much as the public loves him, a wilde card is not yet a given for him.
