Cape Town - Rory McIlroy is taking a long-term view about winning majors after the passing of the Open Championship stretched his run without a major win to almost three years.
A final-round of 67 saw McIlroy finish in a tie for fourth place alongside Rafa Cabrera Bello at Royal Birkdale, although his total was seven strokes adrift of eventual winner Jordan Spieth.
It is now 15 majors since the 28-year old won the fourth and most recent of his major titles at the 2014 PGA Championship.
And while it is a frustrating time for McIlroy, the Ulsterman said he is prepared to look at things in the long-term and be patient.
"One year, one major feels like too long," McIlroy said on Sunday.
"But these things happen.
"You look at Jack Nicklaus, he went through a stretch where he didn’t win a major in three years. I’m not comparing myself to Jack.
"It’s hard to win them. It’s very hard. It’s the reason especially in this generation, excluding Tiger, no one’s got above five. So it’s tough to win them.
"We have 20 or 30-year window of where we can. And I got off to a great start in my career. But, as I said, I’ve still got 15, 20 more years to add to that tally.
"But, yeah, look, I feel like three years has been too long. But at the same time, I’m not going to rush it, I’m not going to stay impatient. I’m going to play my game. And hopefully, my chance arrives at some point and I’m able to take it."