Scottie Scheffler won The Open Championship in Rory McIlroy's home country of Northern Ireland. The hometown hero was the story coming into the week, fresh off a Grand Slam win and looking to erase the missed cut in 2019. But Scheffler's inevitability struck again, just like it has in many events over the past two years. McIlroy gave Scheffler his flowers with NBC's Cara Banks after the round, per Normal Sport's Kyle Porter.
“He's been on a different level all week. He's been on a different level for the last two years. He is the bar that we're all trying to get to. Hats off to him. He's an unbelievable player, an incredible champion and a great person, too,” McIlroy said.
Scheffler won his fourth major championship on Sunday, one fewer than McIlroy and Brooks Koepka. Those two have the most in this era, with Phil Mickelson's six looming as an elite cutoff. But the sentiment remains that Scheffler is a great person who has his priorities in order.
Scheffler made headlines before the tournament started for a press conference about his priorities. “This is not a fulfilling life. It's fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it's not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart. That's something that I wrestle with on a daily basis,” Scheffler said. “It feels like you work your whole life to celebrate winning a tournament for like a few minutes. It only lasts a few minutes.”
Scheffer shot 17-under par this week at Royal Portrush. He beat Harris English by four and overtook McIlroy by seven. McIlroy admitted he was not at his best, but it's hard to find seven shots he left out there this week. Scheffler is pulling away from the field and could join McIlroy in the career Grand Slam club next June.
