Rory McIlroy concluded the Genesis Scottish Open with a strong final round, carding a 6-under 64 to secure a T7 finish at 12-under par. This performance came after a moment of frustration on the 16th hole, where he exclaimed, “Oh my god! I’m so bad at golf!” following an errant approach shot. Despite this, McIlroy’s final round was his best of the week at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland.
The Masters champion’s outburst, where he also threw his hands on his head, occurred after hitting a poor 6-iron shot. He later reflected on the moment, stating that the shot was “a very, very poor golf shot,” leading to his self-assessment. This relatable moment highlighted the pressures even top professionals face during competition.
Identifying and Addressing Game Issues
McIlroy’s strong finish on Sunday followed a challenging third round, where he posted a 3-over 73. This round was affected by fog, which caused a stoppage in play late on Saturday, forcing him to complete it on Sunday morning. He had held a share of the lead after the first two rounds, with scores of 65 and 66, before slipping out of contention.
Between the third and final rounds, McIlroy identified issues with his iron shots, particularly noting a habit of hitting the ball further left than his path at impact when playing in left-to-right wind conditions. He worked on these issues on the range, stating, “At least I know what the problem is and it’s just about fixing it.” He acknowledged that while there were positive signs in his final round, there were also areas that still required work.
His final round included eight birdies and two bogeys, equalling his lowest score of the year. This effort saw him briefly get within one shot of the lead after birdying five of his opening seven holes. However, a three-putt bogey at the ninth and a subsequent bogey at the 16th, where he pulled his iron shot left of the green into the fescue, impacted his chances of victory. He managed a birdie at the next hole to return to 12-under for the tournament.
Looking Ahead to The Open
McIlroy’s performance at the Genesis Scottish Open marks his fourth top-10 finish in 10 starts this season. This includes his second consecutive win at Augusta National in April. He is now set to compete in The Open at Royal Birkdale next week.
A victory at The Open would signify only the second time in his career that he has won multiple major championships in a single season, a feat he last achieved in 2014 when The British Open was held at Royal Liverpool. Despite the challenges and moments of frustration, McIlroy believes he is in a good position heading into the final men’s major of the year. He stated that he needs to do “a bit of work between now and next Thursday to really feel comfortable with my game,” but added, “I don’t feel like it’s too far away.”
Coverage of The Open will begin at 6:30 AM on Thursday, July 16.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
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