'I got everything I wanted but the Claret Jug'

Rory McIlroy was determined to soak it all in this time.

Six years ago, when the Open Championship returned to Royal Portrush for the first time in 68 years, the star attraction chose isolation. He tried to live out the week in his own world and let everything else happen around him.

This week, he has embraced home comforts and accepted the adulation, from his red-eye Monday practice round through to being roared on by thousands on the 72nd hole.

He has given people his time, signed countless autographs, acknowledged adoring fans in between shots.

He even gave everyone a bonus look at the Green Jacket.

The result has been a week that, in his words, had everything but his second Claret Jug. His consolation was one of the most emotional receptions he has ever experienced on a golf course.

As he strode towards the final green on Sunday, McIlroy admirably held it together. Clearly, it wasn't easy.

"I tried as best as I could to keep my emotions in check, especially walking up the last there and that reception," said McIlroy, who closed with a two-under 69 to finish seven adrift of Scottie Scheffler.

"It's been an awesome week. I've gotten everything I wanted out of this week apart from a Claret Jug, and that's just because one person was just a little bit better than the rest of us.

"I feel so thankful and just so lucky that I get to do this, I get to do this in front of this crowd. Hopefully I'll have one or two Opens left here, if the R&A decide to keep coming back, probably one while I'm still competitive and another one while I'm more grey than I already am."

• Scheffler completes dominant Open win at Portrush
• 'Excited' McIlroy takes Portrush crowd on Open thrill ride

McIlroy's play was a microcosm of his career. At times, he was a showman (Saturday's eagle on 12), while at others he got in his own way (three bogeys in four holes on Thursday and a double at 10 on Sunday).

Ultimately, he gave himself too much to do going into the final round. Trailing Scheffler by six, McIlroy needed quick birdies to ignite the crowd and make the frontrunner as uncomfortable as possible.

A two-under 34 on the front nine failed to do that and when McIlroy frittered away two shots on the 10th, it was clear the championship was beyond his reach.

The crowd remained huge, but the energy was different to Saturday, and that "keep your head up, Rory" could be heard regularly was a reflection of a challenge fizzling out.

"I felt like I did well...eight, nine, and 10 today were the ones that killed me," he added.

"Not that...I was never going to get to 17-under, I don't think."

What's next for McIlroy?

A tie for seventh drew the curtain on an unforgettable major season for McIlroy.

It started with the career high at the Masters as he realised a lifelong ambition and finally completed his career Grand Slam. A month later, he barely broke into the top 50 at the US PGA Championship, but his week was overshadowed by a failed driver test and his media shutout.

He let his temper get the better of him at times at the US Open, but the emotions stirred by Portrush were much more positive.

Now, he can reflect during a down period, before finishing out his season with the FedEx Cup play-offs and the Ryder Cup in New York.

"I feel like being back in Europe for a bit was a nice reset," said McIlroy, who added he will maintain a light playing schedule in order to be "fresh" for Europe's bid to retain the Ryder Cup.

"Yeah, I feel like I'm getting back to where I want to be, and we've still got a lot of golf left this year with obviously Ryder Cup being the big one in there in September."

'Scheffler the bar we're trying to reach'

McIlroy was keen to praise Scheffler during his final meeting with the media at Portrush. Since the Northern Irishman's triumph at Augusta, Scheffler has responded by doubling his major tally and ticking off another two legs in his own slam hunt.

"None of us could hang with Scottie this week. He's an incredible player. He's been dominant this week. Honestly, he's been dominant for the last couple years. He is the bar that we're all trying to get to.

"In a historical context, you could argue that there's only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run, the one that Scottie's been on here for the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive."

Finally, having buried the pain of 2019, McIlroy was asked about the prospect of Opens at Portrush in the future.

"I think Portrush has quickly turned into one of the best two or three venues that The Open goes to. Talk to every player this week, and they won't say one single bad thing about the golf course.

"Then I just think the way it sets up, from a logistical standpoint, I think the R&A have worked so well with the local government to make sure everything runs smoothly.

"It's only been six years since 2019. I'm not sure Portrush is going to have The Open every six years, that would be nice, but I would obviously love it to keep coming back."

If and when it does, McIlroy will be front and centre. Whenever that is, he'll know which approach to take.