Rory McIlroy’s reaction to missing Open cut sums him up as major drought goes on

Rory McIlroy’s reaction to missing Open cut sums him up as major drought goes on

Rory McIlroy’s journey at The Open Championship came to an abrupt halt on Friday, marking a challenging moment for the 2014 champion. McIlroy, who shot 12-over-par across the first 36 holes, missed the cut for only the third time in his career. His performance at Royal Troon means his quest for a fifth major title remains unfulfilled, stretching into its 11th year since his last win at the PGA Championship in 2014.

Despite the disappointment, McIlroy remains a fervent supporter of his Olympic teammate, Shane Lowry, who is leading the tournament. “I can’t wait to watch this weekend,” McIlroy shared. “[Lowry is] so creative. Just watching the coverage the last couple of days, that little sort of squeezy cut he can hit, especially going out in that front nine, is going to be really helpful to him. He relishes these conditions. The Open Championship is his favourite tournament in the world. He gets more up for this than anything else. I’m looking forward to cheering him on and hopefully him getting his second [Claret] Jug.”

While Lowry has a thrilling weekend ahead, McIlroy faces the challenge of recalibrating his focus. With this year’s major tournaments now behind him, McIlroy is setting his sights on new goals, including the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Paris. He will represent Ireland alongside Lowry at Le Golf National, marking his second appearance at the Olympics. “There’s still a few things left to play for,” McIlroy commented. “Obviously the majors have come and gone, but to sort of refocus and try to reset for the Olympics, which will be another cool experience. Try to play well there, and then again, I’m in contention to try to win both titles on either side of the Atlantic, so still some things to play for until the end of the year.”

McIlroy’s 2024 season has been notable, despite the setbacks in major tournaments. He began the year with a victory at the Dubai Desert Classic in January and secured a win at the Wells Fargo Championship in May. In the majors, he came close at the US Open, leading the field by two shots with five holes to play, only to be overtaken by Bryson DeChambeau at the final hole.

As McIlroy looks ahead, his next opportunity for a major win will come at the 2025 Masters next April. Until then, his focus remains on new challenges and maintaining his strong form in the remaining tournaments of the year.