In the rush to declare – with many not having the bottle to declare it out loud – that Rory McIlroy choked at last month’s US Open, it was overlooked that the Northern Irishman had actually showed remarkable resilience to battle within touching distance of his fifth major.
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RoryMcIlroypractisesatRoyalTroonaheadofthisweek’sOpen–GettyImages/AndyBuchananIntherushtodeclare–withmanynothavingthebottletodeclareitoutloud–thatRoryMcIlroychokedatlastmonth’sUSOpen,itwasoverlookedthattheNorthernIrishmanhadactuallyshowedremarkableresiliencetobattlewithintouchingdistanceofhisfifthmajor.
ThatisthebeliefofColinMontgomerieandthatiswhytheManaboutTroon,himself–raisedjust200yardsfromthefirstteeofthisweek’slinksvenue–isnotsoquicktowriteoffMcIlroy’schancesofavertingofablankdecadebeforetheshuttersslamcloseonSundayevening.
“IhonestlythoughtitwasamazingwitheverythinggoingonthatRorycould stillcomesocloseatPinehurst,”MontgomerietoldTelegraphSport.“Imeanitwasallgoingon.Ofcourse,weallrememberthosetwoshort puttsonthe
