Rory McIlroy ends Open at one under, heads summer break

Rory McIlroy will head home for a summer break after a frustrating performance at the 154th Open Championship, where he finished one under par at Royal Birkdale. The world number two, who won his second Masters title in April, admitted he felt "stuck in neutral" for most of the tournament, unable to mount a sustained charge over the weekend.

McIlroy's Open campaign began with a difficult opening round of two-over-par 72 on Thursday, July 16, leaving him seven shots behind surprise first-round leader Jackson Suber. His putting proved costly, as he missed three short putts in a four-hole stretch, leading him to describe the errors as "stupid mistakes." He cited inconsistent green speeds as a major challenge but took solace in his powerful driving.

He revived his hopes with a second-round 67 on Friday, July 17, climbing to one under par and safely making the cut. The round was built on exceptional driving, highlighted for a second consecutive day by driving the green on the 414-yard, par-four ninth hole to set up a tap-in birdie. Despite the improvement, McIlroy expressed frustration at leaving shots on the course, especially after seeing low scores like 62 posted by other...