RORY’S GLORY
MCILROY LEADS WIRE-TO-WIRE TO WIN HIS 1ST BRITISH OPEN
HOYLAKE, England — Walking off the 18th green as the British Open champion, Rory McIlroy kept gazing at the names of all the greats on the oldest trophy in golf.
On the claret jug, his name is etched in silver below Phil Mickelson’s. In the record book, he is listed behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods among the youngest players to get three legs of the career Grand Slam. And over four days at Royal Liverpool, he had no equal.
‘‘I’m immensely proud of myself,’’ McIlroy said after his two-shot victory Sunday that was never really in doubt. ‘‘To sit here, 25 years of age, and win my third major championship and be three-quarters of the way to a career Grand Slam . . . yeah, I never dreamed of being at this point in my career so quickly.’’
He had to work a little harder than he wanted for this one. McIlroy entered the final round with a six-shot lead and turned back every challenge. He made two key birdies around the turn, then delivered a majestic drive at just the right moment to close with a 1-under-par 71 and complete his wire-to-wire victory with a 72-hole score of 17-under 271.
In another major that lacked tension during the final hour, what brought the tournament to life was the potential of its champion. After nearly two years of turmoil, McIlroy looked like the kid who shattered scoring records to win the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional and who won the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island by a record eight shots.
McIlroy won by two shots over Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler to become the first start-to-finish winner of the British Open since Woods did it at St. Andrews in 2005. Even with one major left this year, he already is looking ahead to Augusta National next April for a shot at the career Slam.
‘‘I’ve really found my passion again for golf,’’ McIlroy said. ‘‘Not that it ever dwindled, but it’s what I think about when I get up in the morning. It’s what I think about when I go to bed. I just want to be the best golfer that I can be. And I know if I can do that, then trophies like this are within my capability.’’
McIlroy all but decided the tournament with a powerful drive down the fairway at the par-5 16th, setting up a two-putt birdie that restored his lead to three shots. He then finished with two routine pars.
The hard part was trying not to cry when his mother, Rosie, came onto the 18th green with tears streaming down her face. She wasn’t at his two other major victories. Before leaving, McIlroy turned and applauded the fans in the horseshoe arena who were witness to another masterpiece.
This could have been another romp except for a shaky early stretch by McIlroy and solid efforts by Garcia and Fowler. Garcia shot a 6-under 66 to finish as the runnerup in a major for the fourth time, and Fowler closed with a 5-under 67 to earn his third top-five finish — and second tie for second — in a major this year.
‘‘I think that we gave it a good effort,’’ Garcia said. ‘‘And there was someone a little bit better.’’
‘‘He played awesome,’’ Fowler said of McIlroy. ‘‘It was just kind of fun to throw a few shots at him coming in. To see him win was pretty cool.’’
McIlroy wasn’t the only big winner on the day. Ten years ago, his father and three of his father’s friends each put up 100 pounds ($170) at 500-1 odds that McIlroy would win the British Open before he turned 26. The foursome stands to collect 200,000 pounds ($340,000) now that he did it.
‘‘He’s never reminded me [about the bet], but I knew that he’d done it,’’ McIlroy said. ‘‘I’m not sure if it will pay out. If it does, it’s a nice little bonus.’’