Golf - McIlroy in state of shock after claiming fourth Major

Aged just 25, the Northern Irish world number one became the fourth youngest player to land four majors, with only Tom Morris Jr, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods completing the feat before him. He also became just the fifth player to win the British Open and PGA Championship in the same year, emulating Walter Hagen (in 1924), Nick Price (1994), Woods (2000 and 2006) and Padraig Harrington (2008). "Winning the Open championship a few weeks ago had sort of put me on a higher level in this game," McIlroy said after overcoming a "flat start" in Sunday's final round at a rain-sodden Valhalla Golf Club to emerge triumphant by one shot. "But to win a fourth major here, to be one behind Phil (Mickelson), one behind Seve (Seve Ballesteros), level with Ernie (Els), level with Raymond Floyd; I never thought I'd get this far at 25 years of age. "It's something that I'm just going to have to come to terms with. I was happy being a two-time major champion coming into this year, and all of a sudden I'm a four-time major champion." McIlroy had been an overwhelming favourite heading into Valhalla after completing a wire-to-wire victory at last month's British Open before winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in his next start. He duly secured his third consecutive triumph on the PGA Tour after fending off strong challenges from Americans Mickelson and Rickie Fowler, and Swede Henrik Stenson on a dramatic, tension-filled afternoon of dazzling shot-making.