"Stuck in neutral" – that's how Rory McIlroy described his performance at the 154th Open Championship. Instead of fighting for the Claret Jug, the Northern Irishman finished in a disappointing tie for 40th place, nine shots behind champion Ryan Fox, who claimed the victory. Now, he is radically shifting his focus.
With a final round of 71 (1-over), McIlroy concluded the Major at Royal Birkdale with a total score of -1 (279). Although his strong round of 69 on Friday kept him in contention, the momentum simply wouldn't ignite. "Every time I got a little momentum... I seemed to make a bogey," he analyzed, frustrated.
Royal Birkdale – An Unfamiliar Links Experience?
According to him, it wasn't directly the course's fault, but McIlroy sharply criticized the modifications made to Royal Birkdale. The elevated greens and tricky run-offs made it seem less like the traditional links test he remembered from 2017. There was at least some good news: his driver is once again really strong after switching to a heavier setup, and the accuracy issues he's had this season seem to be resolved.
Shift in Focus: FedExCup and Race to Dubai in Sight
The early FedExCup Playoff events leave McIlroy cold. His only goal is to make it into the top 30 for the Tour Championship; the rest he doesn't care about. "Why should I care about the first two?" he asked provocatively. Instead, he will divide his efforts between the FedExCup chase and the Race to Dubai, where he claims to be in a "decent position."
One bitter pill remains: his PGA Tour membership could be in jeopardy. With only 14 starts – one fewer than the minimum of 15 – he has not yet received confirmation as to whether his membership will be retained. For now, he's heading into a family break before returning to action at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
