McIlroy to 'keep knocking on the door' after falling short of long-awaited fifth major

A "disappointed" Rory McIlroy was gracious in defeat by praising Cameron Smith's record breaking performance to win the Open Championship on Sunday as the Northern Irishman's agonising wait for another major title continued.

McIlroy, 33, began the day in a tie for the lead alongside Norway's Viktor Hovland and was two shots ahead at the turn, but a closing bogey-free closing 70 proved insufficient to end his eight-year drought in the game’s biggest tournaments.

Smith fired eight birdies – including five in a row from the 10th – to card his second 64 of the week and finish 20-under par, beating the previous best of 19-under on the Old Course set by Tiger Woods in 2000. McIlroy would ultimately place third, also behind Smith's playing partner Cameron Young, who shot a final round 65 to finish on 19-under.

“(I’m) disappointed obviously,” McIlroy said. “I felt like I didn’t do much wrong today, but I didn’t do much right either. It’s just one of those days where I played a really controlled round of golf. I did what I felt like I needed to just apart from (not) capitalising on the easier holes around the turn, nine, 12, 14.

“If I had made the birdies there from good positions, it probably would have been a different story. But, look, I got beaten by a better player this week; 20 under par for four rounds of golf around here is really, really impressive playing, especially to go out and shoot 64 today to get it done."

Understandably disappointed at the final outcome, but it was another fine showing at a major this year for McIlroy, who placed second at the Masters, eighth at the PGA Championship, and tied-fifth at the US Open.

“I’ll rue a few missed putts that slid by, but it’s been a good week overall. I can’t be too