Rory McIlroy falls agonisingly short as Wyndham Clark holds nerve to win 2023 US Open

Eight years, 10 months and nine days. Thirty three major championships. The long, occasionally painful, wait for Rory McIlroy to take delivery of a fifth major title looked destined to end at LA Country Club on Sunday. Instead, Wyndham Clark – hitherto with just a single mainstream tour win to his name – prevailed at the US Open.

The Hollywood Hills formed the backdrop to an epic underdog story. The Holywood man was denied once more. It was impossible not to feel sympathy for McIlroy, who has done everything in this sport since August 2014 bar win another of the trophies he craves so much. If there is sporting justice, he will crash through the barrier soon enough.

For McIlroy, who fell short of Clark by a single, measly stroke, this one will sting. It is the hope that kills. At last summer’s Open Championship, McIlroy was ultimately outplayed on day four by Cameron Smith. Then, as here, the Northern Irishman’s putter fell as cold as a January morning in Reykjavik. What will hurt McIlroy upon deeper reflection is a sense of missed opportunity and, being blunt, the nondescript nature of the champion. Had McIlroy broken par even by one, he would have forced a playoff. A level par 70 left him as the runner-up.

“I’m getting closer,” said McIlroy. “The more I keep putting myself in these positions, sooner or later it’s going to happen for me. When I do finally win this next major, it’s going to be really, really sweet. I would go through 100 Sundays like this to get my hands on another major championship.” This bullishness was admirable. Next stop, the Open at Royal Liverpool. McIlroy lifted the Claret Jug there in 2014.

Clark is of course worthy of immense credit. This is a golfer who in half a dozen previous major