All eyes in the golfing world will be trained on St Andrews this week as The Open returns for its 150th championship.

The final major of a year of fracture for the sport will bring the biggest names together once more, but who is best placed to take home the Claret Jug?

Five Stats Perform writers have their say ahead of the tournament...

LIV AND LET LIVE? OOSTHUIZEN IS A ST ANDREWS MASTER – Pete Hanson

Is it time to live and let live (or rather LIV and let live)? The proverb is defined as being able to "tolerate the opinions and behaviour of others so that they will similarly tolerate your own", but in the instance of the LIV defectors it is increasingly difficult to accept the decision for jumping ship as anything other than a nauseating money grab. That being said, looking at this through a purely sporting lens, LIV players who have qualified for The Open are allowed to play this weekend and Louis Oosthuizen knows a thing or two about St Andrews. The South African romped to a seven-shot win at the home of golf in 2010 and only lost in a three-man play-off to Zach Johnson at the same venue five years later. He was also leading through three rounds at Royal St George's a year ago before a final round one over coupled with a Collin Morikawa masterclass saw him end up tied for third.

RORY WINNING POPULARITY CONTESTS AND NOW SEEKS ST ANDREWS SUCCESS – Ben Spratt

If the LIV breakaway has made villains of a number of star names, Rory McIlroy is the PGA Tour's hero. With news of each defector, McIlroy has stood firm in his opposition to the Saudi-backed series – all the while stringing together a superb run of form, finishing in the top 20 in each of his past seven entries and the top 10 in each of the first three majors of the year. Rory is a very real contender this week, and there could hardly be a more popular winner. He has unfinished business at St Andrews, too, having tied for third in 2010 and then missed the 2015 event – where he would have been the defending champion – through injury.

RED-HOT SCHAUFFELE IS THE MAN TO BEAT – Russell Greaves

Fresh from his victory at the Scottish Open – where other putative Open contenders floundered – Xander Schauffele is certainly one to watch. Last week's victory at the Renaissance Club, which came despite a two-over-par opening round, came hot on the heels of his triumph at the Travelers Championship, sending the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist to St Andrews as a man in form. The American has also been in the mix at golf's oldest major before, finishing tied second at Carnoustie in 2018, where a final-round 74 ended his hopes of a maiden major. That search will continue this week for the 28-year-old, with the Claret Jug firmly in his sights. 

MORE MORIKAWA MAGIC INCOMING? – Patric Ridge

Morikawa enjoyed a sensational 2021, triumphing at Royal St George's to claim his second major title aged just 24 and becoming the first player to win on his Open debut since 2003. Yet 2022 has so far failed to yield the same success for the defending champion. He went into the weekend with the lead at last month's U.S. Open, only for a wobble on the Saturday to prove costly. After recovering with a fourth-round 65 to finish tied for fifth, Morikawa said he had learned to "just go play golf", although that approach did not serve him particularly well at the Scottish Open, where he failed to make the cut. If he manages to find the composure that deserted him during that dismal third round in Boston, however, then the world number eight cannot be overlooked as a serious contender once again.

CANTLAY CAN COME GOOD ON THE MAJOR STAGE – John Skilbeck

As the rumour mill links him with an LIV Golf switch, Patrick Cantlay is keeping his focus on the course. The American had a win alongside Schauffele in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April and has achieved four top-fives and two top-15 finishes in his past seven events, including a tie for fourth at the Scottish Open. The elephant in the room is that Cantlay has mostly flunked the majors this year, tying for 39th at The Masters, missing the cut at the US PGA Championship and trailing home in a share of 14th at the U.S. Open. However, the 30-year-old is not fourth in the world rankings for nothing; his time is surely coming. Florida-based Cantlay ranks in the top five for birdie (or better) percentage on the PGA Tour when finding the fairway off the tee this year but is outside the top 70 when driving into the rough, so accuracy from the tee will likely determine his fate.

England cricketing great Kevin Pietersen has likened the controversial LIV Golf International Series to the formation of the Indian Premier League and hopes golf can soon settle its differences.

Pietersen was no stranger to controversy as a talented multi-format player, with his commitment to England questioned after the inaugural IPL, when lucrative T20 franchise cricket was born.

The South Africa-born batter captained England for just three Tests and 12 ODIs before his resignation and ultimately announced his international retirement in 2012 after scheduling disagreements – only to soon return.

Pietersen reportedly took issue with the strain put on players by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), with their involvement in franchise cricket around the world limited.

The 42-year-old, who suggested English players were jealous of those offered lucrative IPL contracts, spent the latter stages of his career in various domestic leagues, appearing in tournaments across India, Australia, Pakistan and the Caribbean.

Having been bought for a whopping £1.1million by Royal Challengers Bangalore for the second edition of the then-controversial IPL in 2009, Pietersen remains aware of the potential for differences of opinion when it comes to new beginnings in sport.

LIV Golf has come under intense scrutiny, with vocal opponents criticising the Saudi-backed breakaway league, which offers lucrative prize funds that the PGA Tour is yet to compete with.

Ten major champions have defected to LIV Golf, leaving a cloud hanging over the final major of the year, The Open Championship, where the R&A has allowed breakaway players to feature despite their PGA Tour bans.

Pietersen, speaking after playing the Old Course, St Andrews ahead of The 150th Open on Monday, hopes the issues between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour will soon be resolved.

"I don't really have a take on it because it doesn't matter what I think," he said. 

"But having been part of the Indian Premier League and franchise cricket around the world, I think eventually – and I hope – that everything just merges and everybody lives as one happy family in the future.

"Sport is such a unifying thing. It unifies people, it unifies countries, unifies teams, and the ability to make it into something great is important.

"So, I just hope that for the greater good of the sport, things happen in the next few years. Clearly, there was going to be an outcry at the start by certain people in certain countries. 

"But let's hope that in two, three years' time, golf is celebrated for the great game that it is."

Pietersen has been offered the chance to play at St Andrews before the major starts and believes the short distance of the course may offer the injury-hampered Tiger Woods a chance of success.

"These guys are just so special. I mean, they are quite something when they perform to the calibre of performances that we see these kinds of freak shows," he added.

"[Xander] Schauffele comes in with great form, having won three times in the last three weeks or so. Louis [Oosthuizen] as well, he won, and then he got a runner-up.

"I think you come in here with experience and – you can relate it back to cricket – there are certain grounds in the world that you go to [where] you think, 'Okay, I have a real good chance here because I know this place. I love this place and I know how to bat here.'

"So I think, in terms of golf, there will be a few players that say, 'Yep, I know this place. I like this place'. 

"Maybe even Tiger, this is not a hard walk; we walked it yesterday, this is a very easy walk. For him to be able to turn up here, show that dedication and commitment months ago towards this tournament... you never know.

"We played next to him yesterday, and he played in front of us. There's a crazy sound that comes off the back when he hits, it's very special."

Trey Mullinax sunk a clutch birdie putt on the final hole to secure his first PGA Tour victory, winning the Barbasol Championship by one stroke.

Mullinax, who only has one top-20 finish this season back in October at the Sanderson Farms Championship, was in fine form all week, shooting rounds of 65, 65, 67 and finishing with a six-under 66 to post a score of 25 under for the tournament.

In his last final trip around the Keene Trace Golf Club's Champions course, the American shot five birdies and two bogeys on an action-packed front-nine, and then went bogey-free down the back.

In one of the final groupings of the day, Mullinax and playing partner Kevin Streelman were tied for the lead, two strokes clear of the chasing field, heading onto the final hole. 

Both played strong approach shots, but while Streelman's putt narrowly missed, Mullinax's attempt from the edge of the green found the hole for the win.

Speaking to The Golf Channel after the win Mullinax talked about the nerves on the final hole, calling the opportunity "what we dream about".

"Me and Jules, my caddy, all week were trying to commit to everything we were doing in the process," he said.

"No matter what Kevin did with his tee-shot, it didn't change what I was going to do, we just really tried to stay focused. I stayed focused for 72 holes.

"I missed a couple of opportunities with my putter, but I just told myself 'keep putting, you've been putting great' – and I've been hitting my irons beautifully all week. 

"That was definitely the strongest point of my game this week – we had a pretty comfortable number (from the 18th fairway), we worked on it at the range and we knew we would have that shot a few times, and I hit a great shot at the right time.

"I said when we were walking up the 18th fairway 'this is what we dream about' – an opportunity to hole a putt for the win."

Streelman was the only other player to finish with four rounds of 67 or better, finishing outright second at 24 under.

Mark Hubbard was alone in third at 22 under, who shot a 65 for Sunday's round of the day, with Germany's Hurly Long the top international performer in outright fourth with a score of 21 under.

Vince Whaley rounded out the top-five at 20 under, Canada's Adam Svensson was one further back alone in sixth, and Michael Kim was outright seventh with 18 under, with a number of players finishing tied for eighth at 17 under.

Xander Schauffele warmed up for The Open Championship in superb fashion after securing back-to-back tournament wins with a one-stroke triumph at the Scottish Open.

The American, who overcame a two-over first round on Thursday to bulldoze his way through the pack, shot an even 70 to hold on for victory at seven under for the week at the Renaissance Club.

Following victory at the Travelers Championship last time out, it means the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist is in supreme form as he heads into the final major of the year at St Andrews.

Schauffele is yet to win one of golf's biggest prizes, having previously posted career-best T2 finishes at The Open at Carnoustie in 2018 and then a year later at Augusta for the Masters.

His performance proved just enough to keep Kurt Kitayama at bay after the 29-year-old shot a four-under 66 to sit one stroke behind Schauffele, taking second outright.

Kitayama had appeared poised to pip Schauffele at one stage, when the overnight leader carded three bogeys over four holes heading into the turn.

But golf's form man recovered his composure and even a further bogey at the 18th could not deny him – Kitayama's momentum also crucially slowing down the stretch.

Kitayama at least had the consolation of qualifying for The Open through his finish, as did Jamie Donaldson and Brandon Wu (both T6).

Jordan Spieth was back at T10 after a disappointing 72, having been in position to challenge Schauffele after Saturday's third round.

Tiger Woods played a full 18 holes on Sunday at St Andrews as he prepared for the 150th Open next week.

Woods has not played since withdrawing after the third round of the PGA Championship in May. That was his second appearance since suffering multiple leg injuries in a car accident in February 2021. His first tournament back was The Masters in April.

Woods chose not to play in the U.S. Open last month because he had his sights set on St Andrews, where he won two of his three Open championships in 2000 and 2005.

"I had some issues with my leg, and it would have put this tournament in jeopardy, and so there's no reason to do that," Woods said.

"This is a pretty historic Open that we are going to be playing," he said. "I'm lucky enough to be part of the past champions that have won there and want to play there again, and I don't know when they are ever going to go back while I'm still able to play at a high level.

"I want to be able to give it at least one more run at a high level."

Max McGreevy holds a one-stroke lead at the Barbasol Championship, sitting on 17-under after a rain-interrrupted Saturday caused havoc during the third round.

Heavy rain in Kentucky has meant tournament organisers at Keen Trace have had to work around the conditions, and it only continued on Saturday, with staff even trying to empty the puddle-filled bunkers with buckets at one stage.

The final groups only started their rounds at 7:20pm local time, but were only able to get through three holes before darkness suspended play again.

Leading at the start of the day's play, Matti Schmid sits one stroke from McGreevy, and Adam Svensson moved level with him following a birdie on the par-three second hole.

Ricardo Gouveia remained a further stroke back on 15-under while Sean O'Hair took advantage of the softer conditions, moving to 14-under after three birdies in the opening four holes.

O'Hair is tied with Kevin Streelman and Trey Mulinax, with third-round play scheduled to resume on Sunday morning.

Xander Schauffele moved 18 holes away from successive tournament wins after snatching the lead with another excellent round at the Scottish Open.

Schauffele, who went into moving day four shots off the pace set by American compatriot Cameron Tringale, followed up his second-round 65 with a four-under 66 to move to seven under through 54 holes at The Renaissance Club.

It would have been even better for Schauffele, who prevailed last time out at the Travelers Championship, if not for successive bogeys at 17 and 18 to end the round.

But his two-over 72 on Thursday must now feel like a distant memory, with Schauffele going into the final 18 holes with a two-stroke lead over Rafa Cabrera Bello, who is in prime position to qualify for the Open Championship at St Andrews next week as the highest-placed player yet to clinch a spot in the final major of the year.

By contrast, Tringale endured a day to forget with a four-over 74 that dropped him back to three under.

It appeared as if he would strengthen his chances of victory when he eagled the par-five third. However, he did not make another gain the rest of the way, carding six bogeys.

Jordan Spieth perhaps looms as Schauffele's most ominous challenger. The 2015 Open champion began the day seven strokes back but closed to just three off the pace following a 66 that included eagles at the 10th and the par-four 15th hole.

Spieth sat in a group of three players on four under, with Ryan Palmer – also in the mix for a place at The Open – and Jordan Smith also firmly in contention. Smith had a hole-in-one on the 17th on Friday and went close to doing the same on Saturday, another fine tee shot leaving him with a tap-in for birdie.

Alex Smalley would be the third and final Open qualifier as it stands after a 67 took him to three under, putting him alongside Tringale and U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

Adam Svensson followed up his terrific 10-under opening round in solid fashion, finishing Friday with a five-under 67 to sit at 15 under, two strokes clear of the chasing pack.

After posting two birdies and two eagles on the four par-fives in his first trip around the course, Svensson came back to earth with one birdie and three pars, but a string of three birdies from four holes on his front-nine left him in a strong position.

While he is the leader going into the weekend, it remains to be seen if he will be the 36-hole leader as a lengthy five-hour rain delay wreaked havoc. It meant a number of contenders were forced to head off the course at the end of the day with plenty of holes remaining due to poor lighting.

In outright second place at 13 under is American Trey Mullinax, who had six birdies and seven pars through his first 13 holes on Friday before having to call it a day. He will resume at 8:30am, with a chance to begin the third round right up with Svensson if he can finish the way he started.

There is a seven-man logjam for third place at 12 under, and only three of those players – Mark Hubbard, Robin Roussel and Brandon Hagy – have made it through their full 36 holes.

Tom Lewis still has four holes to play, Jonathan Byrd has five holes to play, Matti Schmid has eight holes remaining and Max McGreevy had only made it through nine.

Hagy and Byrd were the standouts from that group on Friday, with Hagy posting a 10-under 62 for the round of the day, while Byrd had seven birdies across a nine-hole stretch and is yet to record a bogey.

International players Ricardo Gouveia of Portugal, Colombia's Camilo Villegas and Germany's Yannik Paul highlight the group at 11 under tied for 10th place, and they are six strokes clear of the projected cut-line.

Jordan Spieth categorically rejected speculation surrounding a possible switch to LIV Golf.

Reports from Golf Monthly claimed Spieth was negotiating with the controversial Saudi-backed breakaway series.

However, Spieth took to Twitter to clear up any uncertainty. 

"Because of false reporting today, I feel the need to comment. Let me be clear, any reports that I am contemplating competing anywhere other than the PGA Tour are categorically untrue," Spieth's post read.  

"I am NOT in discussions with LIV. I have been quoted on the record for months that I fully support the PGA Tour and have never considered any alternatives.  

"My goal has not changed since I began playing golf—to win PGA TOUR events and major Championships, and to compete against the best players in the world. Those who truly know me, know what is most important to me."

The emphatic denial of the reports comes hours after Golf Monthly published a statement by Spieth's agent, Jay Danzi.  

"Jordan is not in discussions with LIV and is fully supportive of and happy on the PGA Tour," the statement said.  

The same report that mentioned Spieth also listed Cam Smith, Henrik Stenson, Tommy Fleetwood and Hideki Matsuyama as players who were considering talks with LIV Golf.  

World number one Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas all missed the cut at the Scottish Open as Matt Fitzpatrick and Xander Schauffele moved into contention behind leader Cameron Tringale.

Masters champion Scheffler followed up a three-over 73 with a 72 for the second round, putting him 12 strokes behind Tringale, who came back down to earth with a 72 following his stunning nine-under 61 in the opening round, failing to recover after a run of five bogeys in six holes.

Morikawa, who will defend his Open title at St Andrews next week, will also miss the weekend following a four-over 74 that took him to five over. He made the turn four over and a further bogey at the second, and a double at the fourth cancelled out three birdies on his back nine.

US PGA champion Thomas endured a nightmare day at The Renaissance Club, carding eight bogeys and a double for his 77, which dropped him to 10 over par.

World number eight Viktor Hovland, Will Zalatoris and Hideki Matsuyama also missed the cut, as did Ian Poulter, playing on the co-sanctioned DP World Tour and PGA Tour event despite his defection to LIV Golf. Poulter finished 10 over.

But U.S. Open champion Fitzpatrick and Schauffele remain firmly in the hunt.

They are each four shots off the pace, though Fitzpatrick's 66 would have been even better if not for successive bogeys on his final two holes.

Schauffele went one better with a 65, his round starting at the 10th with an eagle and ending with a well-executed chip in for birdie at the par-three ninth.

Jordan Smith is also three under after his second round, the Englishman winning himself and his caddie a car with a hole-in-one on the 17th, only to follow it with a closing bogey and card a 69.

Tringale's American compatriots Gary Woodland and Doug Ghim are his closest challengers on four under.

Ghim is in position to secure a place at St Andrews as the highest-placed player not already sure of a place in the field. Kurt Kitayama (three under) and Rafa Cabrera Bello (two under) would also qualify as it stands.

Adam Svensson shot a blistering 10-under 62 in the first round of the Barbasol Championship to lead the field by two strokes.

Canada's Svensson is taking advantage of the fact that most of the sport's biggest names are spending this week at the Scottish Open, posting seven birdies, two eagles and bogey in his round. On the four par-fives, he collected two birdies and two eagles.

Speaking to The Golf Channel after his round, he said he felt in good touch coming into the event.

"I was on the range today and I was feeling really good," he said. "I've been putting well, putting a lot of work in that. 

"It just kind of all came together today. I made two nice eagles. The one on eight was exceptional – made a 30-footer – but was just trying to stay in there because it was just so hot. 

"I was losing energy, I was trying to hydrate and stuff like that. I was just really relaxed and just tried to get through the day essentially."

Being a co-sanctioned event from both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, there was a strong international contingent near the top of the leaderboard.

Tied for second place at eight under are Portugal's Ricardo Gouveia and France's Robin Roussel, with the latter managing to go bogey-free.

There is an eight-man logjam tied for fourth at seven under, including Germany's Matti Schmid, Colombia's Camilo Villegas and England's David Skinns.

Another pair of Englishmen – Tom Lewis and Andrew Wilson – were a further shot back at six under, along with Australia's Cameron Percy, South Africa's Justin Walters and Germany's Yannick Paul.

Japan's Satoshi Kodaira, Chile's Hugo Leon and Sweden's Niklas Lemke are at five under, while Spain's Alejandro Canizares and South Korea's Noh Seung-yul shot four-under 68s – one stroke better than Thursday's average score.

After a top-10 finish at last week's John Deere Classic, Canada's Michael Gligic will be content with his opening 69, while John Huh shot a 70 as he looks for his third top-15 finish from his past five starts.

Cameron Tringale was delighted with his "red-hot" putting display after shooting a remarkable nine-under 61 to take the lead at the Scottish Open, matching the course record in the process. 

Tringale reached the turn at three-under after making a steady start, but the 34-year-old – whose only previous professional victory came in the Franklin Templeton shootout team event in 2014 – picked up the pace to birdie six consecutive holes through 10 to 15 and finish day one top of the leaderboard.

The American ended Thursday three shots clear of compatriot Gary Woodland and four ahead of South Africa's Justin Harding – one of four LIV Golf players to feature at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick.

In claiming a place among the early leaders, Harding fared far better than fellow LIV Golf star Ian Poulter, who made nine bogeys during a calamitous opening round to finish eight-over.

Poulter was allowed to feature pending an appeal against a DP World Tour ban but may be wishing he had not bothered after slumping to near the bottom of the leaderboard, at one point sharing last place in the expanded field.

But the story of the day was undoubtedly Tringale's career-best round. He is now targeting greater consistency after setting a terrific pace. 

"I got lucky this morning with the wind not being up, the other guys in my group were off to hot starts, making some putts and I decided to join the fun on number five," Tringale told Sky Sports. 

"Then my putter got red-hot, and that's how you do it!

"You do the best you can, I think I was just fortunate with the amount of putts I holed and I got plenty of practice shots around the green, I didn't have to use them all that much because I struck it pretty nicely.

"But I was just dialled in on the greens and that tells the story. I'm just really focused on what I can control, I've done it poorly enough to learn the lessons. 

"Hopefully I can continue to go and play, and the good outcomes will come as a by-product if I can keep my head on straight."

Whatever data Mark Horton is supplying his PGA Tour clients these days, it seems to be paying off.

The English statistician counts both Sam Burns and Billy Horschel among those coming to him for guidance in their golf games. And each registered Tour wins in consecutive weeks last month, as Burns captured the Charles Schwab Challenge before Horschel cruised to victory at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday.

"Hortsy (Horton) is unbelievable," Horschel said after his win. "He's been on my team since 2014. First year he comes on the team we win the FedExCup. He's very English and he's very blunt, and we had a conversation before he joined my team about my record on the PGA Tour and things I didn't do well.

"My short game wasn't very good and I had stone hands. And this week I showed him finally that I have a short game that can live up to the golf course and save me at times."

Horschel's game at the Memorial wasn't just good, it was unprecedented. His +13.58 Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green was the most at an event in his PGA Tour career and best since the 2018 Wyndham Championship (+10.74, tied for 11th). It broke his long-time career record of +13.07, set a decade ago at the 2012 Sanderson Farms Championship.

He was the fourth Memorial winner since 2003 to rank first in both Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green as well as Greens in Regulation (53), joining Patrick Cantlay (2021), Jason Dufner (2017) and Tiger Woods (2012). He also finished the week ranked second in Proximity to the Hole, his third time on Tour ranking in the top-two and more than four feet closer than his previous average in eight previous starts at the Memorial.

Credit to Horschel for his performance. And in the meantime, Horton will keep crunching the numbers.

"He just tells me where I need to be on holes, where guys are making bogeys, where the birdies are coming from, the perfect way for me to plot my way around the golf course," Horschel explained. "That's what I love to do. I love to put my ball here, put the ball there. And he backs me up with that data that's he's been giving me for the last eight years."

SCHAUFFELE FINALLY CONVERTS

Xander Schauffele knew the record. The numbers don't lie.

0-4 lifetime. Oh for four. Goose egg.

That was Schauffele's career record on the PGA Tour when holding a 54-hole lead or co-lead. The now six-time Tour winner was still waiting to successfully convert a third-round position atop the leaderboard into a victory, and the Travelers Championship was one more opportunity to do it.

"In the past when I had a 54-hole lead or close to the lead, my Sundays felt really fast," he said. "And I'd be sitting back in the hotel or at a house on Sunday [afterward] thinking, 'What happened today?'"

This time, he said, Schauffele wanted to stay in the present and focus on the task at hand, which was each and every shot. They would all be critical to stave off Cantlay, who trailed him by only a stroke entering the final round, with more players not far behind.

"I told [my caddie] to hold me accountable on the first hole walking up there," Schauffele said. "And he did a really great job, and both of us were pretty much dialled in from the first hole."

That they were. Schauffele finished the week hitting 63 greens in regulation, leading the field and tying his most hit during an event on Tour in his career. He also hit 63 earlier this season at the WM Phoenix Open, where he tied for third, and hit 60 twice at both the 2020 Sentry Tournament of Championship (T2) and CIMB Classic (T3).

That precision helped Schauffele finish with a Strokes Gained: Total of +16.39, the most at an event in his career. His previous best total was +15.31, set in 2020 at The CJ CUP.

Schauffele trailed Sahith Theegala by one stroke as he approached the last, but the tournament leader closed with a double-bogey before Schauffele hit his approach to 3 feet, setting up the winning birdie. It marked his first individual PGA Tour title since the 2019 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

"It's been a year where my stats have been very solid, just haven't really put in four good rounds of golf," Schauffele said afterward. "I think subconsciously or without myself even really knowing I was getting a little impatient. And this week I was just trying to be self-aware as possible to just stay as patient as possible. I had to just realise that I put the work in and if I can just sort of do what I've been doing and just focus a little bit more throughout the day that it will pay off in a big way, and fortunately it did."

MCILROY DIALS IT IN

When Rory McIlroy looked ahead to the final-round forecast at the RBC Canadian Open, a simple glance at the wind direction told him all he’d need to know about his chances for victory.

"Seeing that southerly wind again, I knew I needed to go out and shoot 5-or-6-under par to have a chance to win," he said.

Simple enough. McIlroy posted an eight-under 62 to edge Tony Finau by two strokes for his 21st PGA Tour victory.

"You needed to keep your foot down, you needed to keep your foot on the pedal," McIlroy said of his mindset. "I got off to a faster start today than I have done the previous few days."

McIlroy has feasted in final rounds this year, joining Finau as one of only two players on Tour with four final rounds of six-under or better this year. Prior to his eight-under 62 in Canada, he also posted a pair of six-under 66s at The Players Championship and The CJ CUP to go along with an epic eight-under 64 at The Masters.

It marked his third final round of 62 or better en route to a PGA Tour win, something no other winner has done more than once since 1983. He also shot a final-round 61 to win the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, as well as a 62 at the Wells Fargo Championship.

The Northern Irishman was buoyed by an incredible approach shot performance, as he averaged just over 3 feet to the hole from 100 to 125 yards out, 14 feet closer than the field average in the final round.

Tiger Woods is unsure how long he will be able to play elite-level golf as he prepares for his 22nd Open appearance, having missed last month's U.S. Open in order to ensure his fitness for another outing at St Andrews.

Fifteen-time major champion Woods made a sensational return at the Masters in April, defying the odds to make the cut after suffering serious leg injuries in a car crash in February 2021.

The 46-year-old has won three Open titles, the most recent of which came in 2006 when he edged out fellow American Chris DiMarco for a two-shot victory, becoming the first man since Tom Watson in 1982 and 1983 to win the tournament in consecutive years.

And Woods says missing last month's U.S. Open, won by Matt Fitzpatrick at Brookline, was a decision he took in order to protect his participation at St Andrews, where he won Open titles in both 2000 and 2005.

"The plan was to play the U.S. Open, but physically I was not able to do that," he told BBC Sport.

"There's no way physically I could have done that. I had some issues with my leg, and it would have put [The Open] in jeopardy, and so there's no reason to do that."

Woods also said he experiences "very difficult days when moving off the couch is a hell of a task, and that's just the way it is."

As the golf legend looks forward to The Open, which begins on July 14, he accepts his window to play at the majors is closing due to his injury troubles.

Asked how long he could continue at the top level, Woods said: "I don't know. I really don't.

"If you asked me last year whether I would play golf again, all of my surgeons would have said no. But here I am playing two major championships this year.

"I will always be able to play golf. Whether it's this leg, or someone else's leg, or a false leg, or different body pieces that have been fused, I'll always be able to play.

"Now if you say play at a championship level, well, that window is definitely not as long as I would like it to be."

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