Winning the Open at St Andrews is the 'holy grail', says McIlroy

The pedigree of St. Andrews champion golfers is certainly stout: Jamie Anderson, Bob Ferguson, John Henry Taylor, James Braid, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Peter Thomson, Bobby Locke, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods among others. 

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy during practice day three of The Open at the Old Course, St Andrews. Pic: David Davies/PA Wire

The saying – often attributed to Bobby Jones or Jack Nicklaus – is that a golfer’s career is not complete unless he wins an Open Championship at St. Andrews.

Rory McIlroy won’t dismiss what he’s accomplished already in the game of golf as incomplete, but he understands the gist of that sentiment.