Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy has missed out on a win at The 150th Open Championship at St Andrews.
The 33-year-old lost to Australian Cameron Smith after failing to putt for an eagle at the 18th.
Heading into the final round on Sunday with a four-shot lead, it seemed like it had been McIlroy’s championship to lose.
But Smith had other ideas and played a brilliant back nine holes – which included five straight birdies – to overcome the Northern Irishman’s advantage.
He finished at 20 under, beating the previous best of 19 under on the Old Course, set by Tiger Woods in 2000.
Collecting the tournament’s famous Claret Jug trophy, an emotional Smith joked he would be celebrating by finding out how many beers he could fit in it.
McIlroy had sent his eagle attempt at the 18th well past the hole and was unable to even make his birdie putt back, so ended up in third place on 18 under par, with Cameron Young taking second on 19 under.
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McIlroy won the Open at Royal Liverpool in 2014, but an ankle injury suffered playing football meant he was unable to try to retain the Claret Jug at St Andrews the following year.
McIlroy said earlier this week this year’s competition had felt like the title defence he never had.
Smith, who held the halfway lead before falling four off the pace with a third-round 73, fired eight birdies – including five in a row from the 10th – to card his second 64 of the week.
