The 151st Open: Will Rory McIlroy claim fifth major title and first for nine years at Royal Liverpool? | Golf News

If Rory McIlroy is to finally end his major drought at The 151st Open, it could be a YouTube session he has to thank for inspiring him to more success at Royal Liverpool.

A talking point heading into almost every major is when, or if, McIlroy will claim an elusive fifth victory, having had 19 major top-10s since last celebrating a major win at the 2014 PGA Championship.

That win at Valhalla nine years ago was a second successive major title for McIlroy, having dominated The Open at Royal Liverpool the previous month to claim a wire-to-wire victory and complete the third leg of the career Grand Slam.

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As Rory McIlroy seeks to win his first major title since the 2014 PGA Championship, take a look at the best bits from his final round at Valhalla

McIlroy has been unsuccessful in his annual pursuit of The Masters since, missing the cut in two of his past three appearances at Augusta National, although he finished runner-up in the 2022 contest as part of a year where he was no worse than eighth in all four majors.

The former world No 1 suffered a near-miss at The 150th Open last year at St Andrews, where he took a share of the lead into the final day before a cold putter left him dropping to third, then challenged for major victory at the US Open last month.

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The best of the action from a thrilling final round of The 150th Open Championship from St Andrews

McIlroy has dealt with a variety of issues at various points of 2023, including putting struggles, driver inconsistency and acting as the unofficial spokesman in the PGA Tour’s feud – then peace deal – with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, who fund LIV Golf, although he said he was “building towards something” ahead of that major performance.

He insisted that “no one wants to win another major more than I do” after an encouraging first two rounds, where he explained how a trip into the archives online gave him a fresh perspective into how to approach trying to contend in a tournament.

“I’ve went through sort of ebbs and flows with that [patience] throughout my career,” McIlroy said after his second round. “For whatever reason, I went on to YouTube a few weeks ago and was just looking back at Hoylake in 2014.

“I actually couldn’t believe how many irons and three-woods and stuff I was hitting off the tee. It set something off in my mind about, you know how to do this. You know how to play smart. You don’t have to hit driver all the time.

“Yes, it’s a big weapon, it’s a big advantage. But I keep saying I’ve got more weapons in my arsenal I feel now than I did back then, so I may as well use them and play to them.”

The highlights clearly made an immediate impression as McIlroy found 75 per cent of fairways at the US Open, gaining strokes both off the tee and with his approach play, resulting in him hitting more greens in regulation than any other player in the field.

McIlroy’s only frustration came on the greens, where just three players required more putts on the final day, leading him to finish in second spot as Wyndham Clark claimed a maiden major success.

The final-day disappointment in Los Angeles followed frustrating Sundays at The Memorial and the RBC Canadian Open in his previous two starts, but the run of contending in events at least brought an end to an inconsistent spell on the PGA Tour.

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Watch how McIlroy missed out on a first major in nine years after falling one shot short in the US Open at Los Angeles Country Club

“I’m getting closer,” McIlroy insisted. “The more I keep putting myself in these positions, sooner or later it’s going to happen for me. Just got to regroup and get focused for Hoylake.”

What was so special about his 2014 win?

Tiger Woods produced an iron masterclass to win at Royal Liverpool in 2006, using the driver just once and missing only four fairways all week as he plotted his way to victory in firm and fast conditions, whereas McIlroy’s route saw him mix those skills with driving brilliance.

McIlroy revealed pre-tournament that week he expected to use a two-iron just as much as the driver, although softer conditions than eight years earlier brought the big stick into play off the tee more frequently than Woods had required.

“A lot of irons off the tee” and “not overly aggressive” was McIlroy’s assessment of the first two days, where back-to-back 66s opened a four-shot advantage, before two late eagles in a third-round 68 took him six clear heading into the final day.

McIlroy celebrated two late eagles in his third round to extend his advantage heading into the final day at Royal Liverpool in 2014

Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler made final-round charges to put pressure on McIlroy, who closed out a one-under 71 to claim a two-stroke victory and become the third Northern Irish winner of the Claret Jug.

Could history repeat itself at Royal Liverpool?

McIlroy is among the pre-tournament favourites once again for the final men’s major of the year, where Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka – both major winners already this season – could join him in being three-quarters of the way to the career Grand Slam with a victory.

Scottie Scheffler arrives as world No 1 and looking to build on a dominant start to 2023 on the PGA Tour, while McIlroy – who has top-five finishes in five of his last seven appearances at The Open – is fully focused on ending his long winless streak in majors.

“When I do finally win this next major, it’s going to be really, really sweet,” McIlroy said last month. “I would go through 100 Sundays like this [US Open] to get my hands on another major championship.”

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Dame Laura Davies looks ahead to The Open at Royal Liverpool and backs McIlroy to win it

McIlroy reiterated his desire to end his winless major streak ahead of the Genesis Scottish Open, where he added: “I’m as close as I’ve ever been, really. My consistency in the performances, especially in the majors over the last couple years is way better than it has been over the last few years.

“I need to keep putting myself in those positions. Even though I’m not getting the wins, it’s going to stand by me for whenever I get myself in position again. I know my game is in good shape so, I’m excited about that.”

Will that time come this week on the Wirral, at a venue he has already enjoyed success at? You wouldn’t bet against it.

Watch The 151st Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the opening round begins on Thursday from 6.30am on Sky Sports Golf.