McIlroy’s ball tumbled into the creek. He bent his spine in half and threw his hands onto his knees. There had been plenty of triumphant patron responses at that point in the day. Here, in Amen Corner’s final chapter, the gasps returned. They did not stop.

McIlroy's victory came as a significant hit to the books, which saw those purchasing early slips for the Northern Irishman cashing in at a decent rate.