There have been times when a second-placed finish at a major championship has left a bitter taste in the mouth for Sergio García. The same can certainly not be said of this display, as he produced a performance of mesmerising flair and enthralling entertainment to ensure Rory McIlroy’s margin of victory was never assured, revealing his pride at being part of a “great experience”.  Rickie Fowler joined the Spaniard on 15 under par for the tournament, only two shots back from McIlroy, who began the afternoon with a six-shot advantage. Both players were magnanimous in defeat, even if defeat is a word that belittles their accomplishments here.  Fowler was only the third player in Open history to card four rounds in the 60s and not emerge victorious, while García demonstrated that his travails in recent years are perhaps behind him. It was heartening to see him enjoying the game once more having been at a low ebb only two years ago, when a collapse at Augusta prompted him to say that he could never win a major.  García has now proved that is surely not the case, recording five birdies and one eagle in arguably the round of the week, which contained some marvellous ball striking and good fortune along the way.  “It was close, it was close,” said García. “At least I’m proud of the way I played. I wanted to at least make him [McIlroy] feel a little bit and see how he would respond. He obviously responded well. I got within two but every time I got closer he kept making one birdie and not letting me get any closer than that. Overall I thought it was a great week.  “Everybody looks at you as second and they want to make it a negative. Not at all. I felt like I played well, I felt like I did almost everything I could. There was a better player, it’s as simple as that. You don’t have to look at other things, it’s just that simple.”  It was after a play-off defeat at Carnoustie in 2007 that García claimed the golfing gods were not on his side, but that second-placed finish will have felt very different to this. Despite failing to claw in McIlroy, the gods were perhaps on García’s side this time, the Spaniard horrifically slicing an approach on the 12th into the grandstand but emerging unscathed as the ball somehow bounced back to the fringe of the green. He threw the ball in question into the crowd after completing an unlikely par, and afterwards indicated that his love for the game had returned. “Sunday in a tournament, with the chance of winning, in this case in a major championship at the Open, it’s always exciting,” said García. “I was excited when I woke up this morning, there’s no better feeling. That’s why we love doing this, that’s what we practice for. It was a great experience.”  Fowler endeared himself to the British crowds further after impressing at Royal St George’s in 2011, carding a flawless 67 that included five birdies and no bogeys. The Californian, who is now McIlroy’s neighbour in Florida, congratulated his friend and insisted there was “plenty more to come” in his own career.  “I was definitely pleased with the way I hung in there, the way I fought it out. I made some great par saves and tried to give Rory a little run at the end, but just got on the gas a little too late,” said Fowler. “It’s hard to be disappointed about it because it was such a great week. To see him win was pretty cool.  “Rory is obviously doing well with three majors now. I definitely have some catching up to do. But I am getting closer. It’s been fun to be in contention at the majors this year. As far as changing of the guard, I don’t see Tiger and Phil and some of those guys running off anywhere. We’re ready to go to battle against them, though.  “With the way I had been playing in the majors, there was some pressure to play well this week. But with how comfortable I’ve been, it doesn’t feel like a big stage. It feels like I should be here. I’m definitely pleased with it. There’s plenty more to come. I’ll take 15 under in a lot of majors and sit there and wait in the clubhouse.”
The Spaniard has regretted his near misses in the past but was delighted with his performance as he pushed Rory McIlroy hard at Hoylake