The Associated Press
A brief look at the fourth round Sunday at the British Open:
WINNER: Rory McIlroy won the claret jug for the first time with a 1-under 71 and 17-under 271 total.
RUNNERS-UP: Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler finished two shots behind. For Garcia, it was the fourth runner-up finish in a major without winning one. Fowler also tied for second behind Martin Kaymer at last month’s U.S. Open.
THREE-QUARTERS SLAM: At age 25, McIlroy picked up the third leg of a career Grand Slam, adding to the 2011 U.S. Open and 2012 PGA Championship. He will go to the Masters next spring trying to become only the sixth player to win all four of golf’s biggest events.
SELECT COMPANY: Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen are the only players to win a career Grand Slam. Nicklaus and Woods were the only ones to win as many as three when they were 25 or younger.
WHERE’S TIGER: Woods closed with a 3-over 75 for his worst 72-hole finish in a major. A 6-over 294 left him 69th place out of 72 players who made the cut. His previous worst were ties for 40th at last year’s PGA Championship and the 2012 Masters.
ALSO STRUGGLING: Among the three players who finished behind Woods was Kaymer, who romped to an eight-shot victory at Pinehurst. The German never got it going at Royal Liverpool, failing to break par in any round and closing with an ugly 79. He was 70th at 296.
WINNING BET: McIlroy wasn’t the only winner. British media reported that the winner’s father, Gerry McIlroy, and three of his friends a decade ago placed a combined bet of 400 pounds (now $680) on McIlroy winning the claret jug before he turned 26. The odds were 500-1, so the syndicate stands to collect 200,000 pounds, or about $340,000.
DEFENDING CHAMP: Phil Mickelson closed with his best round of the week, a 68 that left him tied for 23rd.
GOING LOW: The course was there for the taking on a warm day with a light breeze. Twenty-eight players shot in the 60s, with Jim Furyk, Shane Lowry, Marc Leishman and Chris Wood all matching the low round of the week at 65.
NOTEWORTHY: Fowler (69-69-68-67) became only the third player to shoot four rounds in the 60s and not win the Open. Ernie Els did it twice, at Royal Troon in 2004 and Royal St. George’s in 1993. Jesper Parnevik came up short at Turnberry in 1994.
QUOTEWORTHY: “To be three legs toward the career Grand Slam by 25 is a pretty good achievement. It’s not going to sink in for a while, but it feels incredible right now.” — McIlroy.
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