|
 McIlroy started the last round four shots behind Scott, but drew
even when he eagled the seventh and birdied the eighth. Scott went a shot ahead with a birdie at the ninth. The pair then
went shot for shot over the back nine before the dramatic finish.
Scott's approach shot went over the back of the green and his chip
went well past the hole, with two putts bringing a bogey. McIlroy
hit his approach to 10 feet and sank the putt to win by a shot.
"I wanted to get a win and finally I've been able to get one,"
McIlroy said. "But more satisfying than that is being able to take
one of the best players in the world down the stretch and come out
on top.
"Adam is a phenomenal golfer, a great competitor and probably an
even better guy and I feel a bit sorry that I was the one that
ruined the triple crown for him."
Scott was attempting to become only the second player after
compatriot Robert Allenby in 2005 to win his country's Triple Crown
by taking the Australian Open, Australian Masters and Australian PGA
titles in the same season.
He carried his form from the Masters and PGA tournaments into the
Open, shattering the course record with a 10-under 62 in his opening
round.
He came into the final day at 16 under, with rounds of 62, 70 and
68, four shots ahead of McIlroy, who was four ahead of the next
closest challenger.
That, in effect, made Sunday's final round a shootout between the
No. 2-ranked Scott and Northern Ireland's McIlroy, who was the
world's top-ranked player last year.
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Scott was left to rue a series of missed birdie
opportunities, failing to make six putts from within 12 feet
during his final round.
"Nothing was going my way on the greens today," Scott said. "I
could have put this thing away early on if the putter was
behaving how it should have, how it did the rest of the week."
Both players took irons from the tee on the last hole and landed
their shots adjacent to each other on the fairway. Scott's
approach landed ahead of the hole, but a bounce sent the ball
flying through the back of the green.
Rather than pitch and run back onto the green, Scott chose to
give his chip some loft. It failed to pull up, rolling onto the
lower tier of the green and he did well to salvage a bogey.
McIlroy stood assessing his 10-foot putt during Scott's
excursions. After Scott holed out, McIlroy rolled in a slow putt
that just made it to the hole.
"I didn't think it was going to unfold the way it did," McIlroy
said. "It's hard not to feel some guilt in the way I won it.
Having a one-shot lead going into the last having it taken away
from you right at the very end, it's tough."
McIlroy finished with an 18-under 270. Scott finished six shots
ahead of Australian John Senden (11 under).
Senden and Australians Bryden MacPherson and Rhein Gibson, who
tied for fourth at 9 under, all qualified for next year's
British Open.
[Associated
Press]
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