SerpApi.Org
Rory McIlroy finished The Open in a tie for 40th place after a frustrating performance at Royal Birkdale, as New Zealand's Ryan Fox claimed his maiden major championship.
The golfer from Holywood, Northern Ireland, struggled to gain any traction on the final day, having been behind from the outset. McIlroy registered birdies at the second and sixth holes before dropping a stroke at the par-three seventh. He added another birdie at the tenth, but a bogey at the 11th and a double bogey at the 17th hampered his momentum.
McIlroy, who slammed Bryson DeChambeau's behavior during The Open, managed a birdie at the 18th to post one-over for the day and finish one-under for the tournament.
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The 37-year-old earned €69,750 for his efforts and admitted he was "stuck in neutral" throughout his four rounds at the Southport venue. McIlroy now plans to belatedly celebrate his second straight Masters victory from earlier this year with his family.
He said: "I was just sort of stuck in neutral for most of the week. Even par over the weekend is not going to get it done.
"I just felt like any time I got a little bit of momentum out there, I seemed to make a bogey. It was just one of those weeks I couldn't get it going.
"This season feels very similar to last season. Obviously, I won the first major of the year and fell off a little bit after that – but any time you win a major in a year, you have to be pleased about that.
"I haven't really taken the time to enjoy that or celebrate that. Poppy's got another four weeks off school until she goes back, so I'm just going to enjoy the summer holidays with her and Erica.
"That's what I'm looking forward to the most."
Fox, meanwhile, pocketed $3.2 million after holding his nerve to birdie the final hole, clinching the title by a single stroke.
McIlroy finished nine shots behind the champion, with Americans Cameron Young and Sam Burns taking second and third place, respectively.
Young took home $1,842,000, while Burns earned $1,181,000.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and England's Tommy Fleetwood tied for fourth position. They received $827,500 each for their efforts.
Shane Lowry, who won The Open in 2019, finished in a tie for 28th. He took home $102,317.
