St Andrews willed him on ... but Rory McIlroy's 150th Open destiny slipped from his grasp

They came in their tens of thousands to watch Rory McIlory lift the Claret Jug.

It was destined to be him, after all. One of golf's biggest stars winning its most iconic tournament was the perfect script for the 150th Open at St Andrews. Even the slogan on the giant grandstand behind the 18th green seemed written for him. “Everything has led to this”. Or so we all thought.

Cameron Smith may look like he belongs in Netflix's sci-fi hit Stranger Things, but the only supernatural thing on show was his talent and temperament as he defied the odds with one of the greatest final rounds the Old Course has ever seen.

The Australian with the 1980s mullet and moustache may look a little out of place, but he very much belongs. An outstanding golfer who has promised a moment like this for several years. This was his time. A fitting and deserving winner for such a prestigious event.

McIlroy has already had his share of big moments – he has four majors under his belt – but his last victory was eight years ago and he really wanted this one, even admitting he had allowed himself to dream about it beforehand.

"Of course. I'm only human. I'm not a robot. Of course you think about it, and you envision it. My hotel room is directly opposite the big yellow board on 18 there right of the 1st. And every time I go out, I'm trying to envision McIlroy as the top name on that leaderboard and how did that feel?

"At the start of the day, it was at the top, but at the start of tomorrow, it won't be. Of course you've got to let yourself dream. You've got to let yourself think about it and what it would be like, but once I was on the golf course, it was just the task at hand and trying to play the best golf I possibly could."

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Rory McIlroy and his caddie Harry Diamond walk to the 18th green during the final round at the Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland. Pic: Ian Rutherford

The final pairing of the day after sharing the overnight lead on 17 under par, all eyes and cameras were trained on the clubhouse doors waiting for McIlroy and Viktor Hovland to emerge for their date with destiny.

A respectful, almost eerie silence fell over the practise putting area, which drew a crowd of its own, as the Northern Irishman walked out with his putter in hand and a steely determination in his eyes.

Among the observers, members of the Dundee United first-team squad including Charlie Mulgrew, who had bizarrely scored into his own net from near enough the halfway line during his side's 2-0 defeat to Sunderland in a pre-season friendly the previous day.

McIlroy managed to avoid any own goals of his own as he chased his elusive fifth major. He missed chances though. Plenty of them as numerous birdie putts went close, but simply refused to drop. A steady bogey-free round may have been enough on another day. On this day though, the former world number one was simply outgunned by an inspired Smith.

Rory McIlroy waves to the crowd on the 18th green during the final round at the Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland. Pic: Ian Rutherford

"C'mon Rory, you got this" was the cry as he stepped onto the first tee. It certainly looked to be within his grasp as Hovland had his first wobble, bogeying the fourth hole. McIlroy followed with a birdie on five, and suddenly he was two shots clear. The cheers reverberated around the home of golf. Rory, it seemed, most definitely had this.

That was until Smith started his back nine like a man possessed. The roars were now coming from the group in front as birdies on every hole between 10 and 14 flipped the leaderboard in the Aussie's favour. McIlroy had been in his own bubble, but now he had to respond.

He tried all he could, willed on every step of the way, but by the time he was teeing off at 18, having watched Smith birdie the last to go two shots clear, only an eagle would do to salvage a play-off.

His tee shot fell short of the green, and as McIlroy made his way over the Swilcan Bridge, head down, and up the 18th fairway there was a sense that it was already over.

Rory McIlroy and his caddie Harry Diamond walk off the 18th green during the final round at the Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland. Pic: Ian Rutherford

Behind him, some momentary mayhem ensued with fans spilling in behind the ropes forcing police to become involved. It was quickly brought under control, and McIlroy had nothing but praise for the support he received.

Asked if he'd been aware of the minor flashpoint, he replied: "Not really. I thought the fans were great today. I thought they were really, really good. Unbelievably supportive to me, I wish I could have given them a little more to cheer about.”

With such overwhelming support comes added pressure, but this was not a case of McIlroy crumbling under the weight of expectation, as he has been accused of in the past. He was in control. He just couldn't control what Smith was doing up ahead.

"Yeah, not as much [pressure] as maybe I would have let myself previously feel," he said. "I did a really good job this week of sort of really trying to control what I could control. Look, I certainly appreciated the support, and it was incredible to be cheered along all 72 holes, but I didn't let that put me under any more pressure.

"I'm trying to do it for myself at the end of the day. Yes, it's great to get the support, but the happiest person in the world if I won that Claret Jug would have been me."

Had he holed his eagle chip attempt on 18 the roar would have eclipsed anything heard at the Old Course before. His attempt raced past and it wasn't to be.

There was similar deflation for Tiger Woods on Friday as he bowed out of The Open not knowing if he will ever be back. McIlroy at least has the comfort of knowing he almost certainly will be.

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