'Toppling Scheffler becomes the next objective for McIlroy'

If Rory McIlroy is still seeking his "next Everest", he need look no further than new Open champion Scottie Scheffler.

Even in a season when the Northern Irishman completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, after claiming a second Players title and landing the Pebble Beach signature title, he trails the player now clutching the Claret Jug by a substantial margin.

McIlroy is the world's second best player and, in that regard, the rankings do not lie. Following Scheffler's dominant victory at Royal Portrush, his points average in the standings has risen to 20.52.

McIlroy, who shared seventh place at the Open, is 8.96 points behind. That is the difference between second in the standings and Max Greyserman, who is currently 36th.

Toppling Scheffler from his perch is a mountainous challenge and it has become the next objective for McIlroy.

The 36-year-old from Holywood, County Down, struggled for motivation in the immediate aftermath of his epic Augusta adventure. Winning the Masters and completing the career grand slam had become his be all and end all.

With the Green Jacket on his back, it took the prospect of an Open in his native Northern Ireland to bring back a sense of focus.

And, as he said, his Portrush experience gave him pretty much all he wanted, bar the Claret Jug.

"That's just because one person was just a little bit better than the rest of us," he stated.

In truth, no-one other than Scheffler was ever going to get a sniff of holding golf's most historic trophy after the eventual champion carded his second-round 64.

As the world rankings reflect, the tall American is head and shoulders above the rest at delivering when the biggest titles are on the line. This was his second major of the year, following his convincing triumph in May's US PGA at Quail Hollow.

While the post-championship chat is littered with understandable comparisons between Scheffler's current success and the way the great Tiger Woods dominated the game, McIlroy remains the most likely to challenge the world number one's supremacy.

Between June 2011 and August 2014 McIlroy was similarly dominant, winning the US Open, US PGA and The Open.

Like Scheffler, it was a quick surge to four majors, the first two won with eight shots to spare.

There then came an 11-year barren spell for McIlroy that no-one back then could have anticipated. But he remained in the very upper echelons of the game throughout that period of frustrating near misses.

He has now played in 67 majors and finished in the top 10 33 times.

It is an extraordinarily long run of remarkable consistency that no other active player can match.

Officially an all-time great, as one of only six winners of all four majors, McIlroy could be satisfied with his lot.

How much more is there in the tank to keep pushing to be the best in the world?

McIlroy has been doing it for a very long time, but there seems little diminishing of appetite.

He is determined to contribute to another away win in the Ryder Cup in September and would love an Olympic medal in 2028.

There is also the challenge of trying to emerge from Scheffler's long shadow.

"All you can do is admire what he does and how he does it," McIlroy said.

"What he does is one thing, but how he does it is another. He just goes about his business, doesn't do anything overly flamboyant, but he's the best at executing in the game right now.

"It's been absolutely amazing over these past two to three years. All you can do is tip your cap and watch in admiration."

Another Open has passed without an English winner, none since Nick Faldo in 1992. But Matt Fitzpatrick's return to form was an encouraging reminder of the 2022 US Open champion's world-class pedigree.

In a share of fourth, Fitzpatrick beat Bob MacIntyre by a shot. The Scot tied for seventh, again demonstrating his major credentials following a runner-up finish at June's US Open.

Tyrrell Hatton faded on the final day to finish alongside Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and John Parry at seven under and inside the top 20. They also know the man they have to beat if they are to enjoy future major success.

Right now McIlroy is the player most likely to challenge Scheffler.

"All I can do is focus on myself and try to play the best golf that I can," he said.

"I know that, when I do that, I'll have my weeks where I'll contend and hopefully win."