While Rory McIlroy didn’t clinch the Scottish Open title, his performance was far from a loss as he stepped off the 18th green.
McIlroy was the talk of the tournament at the Renaissance Club, standing out among a star-studded field that included Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas. After taking a hiatus from golf, all eyes were on McIlroy as spectators eagerly anticipated his return to the links.
McIlroy delivered a solid performance throughout the week, positioning himself as a contender for the lead by Sunday. On Saturday, he expressed confidence in his game, suggesting he was nearing the form that won him the Masters.
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In contrast to his previous media avoidance and privacy following his unsuccessful driver test at the PGA Championship, McIlroy appeared more open and genuinely happier this week. He spent the initial rounds in good spirits, sharing laughs with his playing partners, Schauffele and Viktor Hovland.
However, his jovial demeanor gave way to intense focus on Saturday as he zeroed in on the prospect of victory, realizing a win was within his grasp.
In the end, victory eluded him. American golfer Chris Gotterup, with just a single PGA Tour win under his belt, held onto a share of the lead on Sunday morning and didn’t back down, even when faced with a shot clock on the back nine.
Upon witnessing Gotterup sink the putt that sealed his victory, McIlroy promptly removed his hat and applauded, then walked over to congratulate both Gotterup and his caddie. It was an immediate display of sportsmanship that McIlroy maintained even when the cameras stopped rolling.
Instead of wallowing in disappointment over the missed win, McIlroy strode confidently through the parking lot, only allowing a faint grimace to cross his face once he was out of sight of the fan area.
He high-fived the enthusiastic fans who had been cheering him on throughout the week along the unusually sunny Scottish coast. Many of them departed as soon as Gotterup’s final putt dropped, disheartened by their hero’s loss.
As he made his way, McIlroy exchanged a few words with his bodyguard, Andy, before entering the scorer’s tent to officially conclude a week filled with promise.
Inside, McIlroy gave Gotterup’s shoulder a friendly pat and offered his congratulations once more, before agreeing to speak with the media outside in the mixed zone. Despite having a flight to Northern Ireland from Edinburgh scheduled in just a few hours, he chose to face the press — a stark contrast to his silence earlier in the summer.
McIlroy shared his post-game thoughts without a hint of regret, focusing on the upcoming Open with unwavering confidence. He faced the media’s curiosity head-on, responding to queries with thorough explanations.
“No frustration, really,” he stated. “I’m really happy with where everything is. Looking forward to getting to Portrush tonight and getting out on to the golf course early tomorrow and just turning my attention to that. But I feel like I’ve gotten out of this week everything, really, that I wanted.”
“I feel like my game got a little better each and every day. I controlled my ball flight, some of the iron shots I hit, especially today, sort of the 5-iron into 12 after Chris hit it in close.”
“Getting stuck behind the tree on 11 and hitting a great third shot in there making par. Iron play was great. I feel like I did enough good things off the tee. Everything is in a really good spot and I’m happy with how my game progressed as the week went on.”
