What he said: Rory McIlroy, Open Champion

Rory McIlroy spoke to the assembled press after his Open Championship triumph at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Here's what he had to say...

Rory McIlroy played near-flawless golf all week at Royal Liverpool Golf Club to record a 17-under-par 72-hole total and win his first Open Championship.

McIlroy has now completed three quarters of the career Grand Slam and joined Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win three major championships by the age of 25.

Below, McIlroy talks about how it feels to hold the Claret Jug, his thoughts on the week in general, what it was like to have his mother watching at the Open Championship and what the future holds....

- "It feels absolutely incredible. It's been an incredible week. I'm happy I gave myself enough of a cushion today, because there was a lot of guys coming at me, especially Sergio and Rickie. Just to be sitting here and looking at this thing and having my name on it, it's a great feeling. It obviously hasn't sunk in yet. I'm going to enjoy it and let it sink in tonight in the company of my friends and family."

- "That stretch of holes there, 7, 8, 9, 10, were a big stretch of hole for me today. Getting up and down on 7. I played really good shots into the 8th hole and made a par. The birdie on 9 and 10 were big, especially with Sergio pushing there, and making eagle on 10, for example. It kept me a couple of shots to the good, and I could feel a little more comfortable on the back nine."

- "I'm immensely proud of myself. To sit here 25 years of age and win my third Major Championship and be three-quarters of the way to the career Grand Slam, I never dreamed of being at this point in my career so quickly. Especially being someone from around here, the Open Championship was the one you really wanted growing up, and the one you holed so many putts on the putting green to win, to beat Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els, whoever."

- "I've really found my passion again for golf. Not that it ever dwindled, but it's what I think about when I get up in the morning. It's what I think about when I go to bed. I just want to be the best golfer that I can be. And I know if I can do that, then trophies like this are within my capability. Even though there's still one major left this year that I want to desperately try and win, I looking forward to next April and trying to complete the career Grand Slam."

- "Seeing it's the Claret Jug, I think it's only right to fill it with red wine first, and good red wine as Phil said. We'll try to find a good bottle of that tonight somewhere."

- "I think Hoylake is a great course to be on the Open rota. It's a good test. We didn't play it in its hardest conditions this week, and that's why the scores were quite low. But it is, it's a great golf course."

- "I want be to be the guy that goes on and wins majors and wins majors regularly, wins tournaments. I'd love to be in that position. And I've had chances before to kick on from there. I did after my second major at Kiawah. I kicked on for another six months and played really well. I just want to think ahead and go forward and try and win as many tournaments and as many majors as I can, because I feel like there's a lot more left in me."

- "My mom hasn't been at the previous two major wins. It was just my dad. And it was just great to see her on the back of the 18th there and how much it meant to her. I was trying not to cry at the time because she was bawling her eyes out."

- "The support of my parents has been incredible. And even growing up and doing everything, the sacrifices that they made for me. But even up to this day they're the two people in this world that I can talk to anything about. I couldn't ask to have two better parents. They are the best people in the world."