Rory McIlroy’s win was a reminder of what golf can offer at its best

The Northern Ireland star’s pay packet may have been dwarfed by those of the LIV rebels but he earned the prestige of lifting an old trophy and notching yet another PGA Tour title, writes Lawrence Ostlere

Rory McIlroy hit a superb final round of 62 to retain his Canadian Open title (AP)

For those who have criticised Saudi Arabia’s lavish new LIV Golf series as a piece of brazen sportswashing, it was a happy coincidence that the inaugural tournament should land on the same weekend as one of the most compelling PGA Tour events in years.

At the PGA’s historic Canadian Open in Toronto, Rory McIlroy went toe to toe with two-time major winner Justin Thomas and the American big-hitter Tony Finau.

The crowd was raucous and the tension increasingly palpable as the trio succumbed to nerves in the final holes. They finished on an 18th green surrounded by thousands of giddy fans held back by a thin line of stewards as, under huge pressure, McIlroy produced an immaculate approach and birdie putt to clinch the title.