Rory McIlroy shot an impressive four-under-par 68 to finish joint third in the Open at St Andrews on Sunday.

The first-round leader from Holywood carded five birdies and a bogey to end the tournament on eight under and eight behind winner Louis Oosthuizen.

"I'm happy with the way I finished this weekend but I feel it is one I let get away," said McIlroy.

US Open champion Graeme McDowell finished three under after a 70 while Darren Clarke's 71 left him on level.

Irish pair Shane Lowry (75) and Colm Moriarty (72) finished on one under.

McIlroy suffered an 80 on Friday following a brilliant 63 in the first round on the Old Course.

Tee to green I controlled my ball pretty well but I putted diabolically. Graeme McDowell

The 21-year-old has bounced back with a 69 and 68 to equal his best finish in a major.

"I couldn't help thinking of Friday when I was walking up the last," admitted McIlroy.

"Apart from that round I didn't do a lot round - I just didn't deal with the conditions on Friday."

McDowell fell back to three under at the finish having reached five under through 10 holes of his final round.

"I'm not quite myself at the minute in terms of getting my head screwed back on but after these last two weeks it could have been a lot worse," he said.

"I played beautifully, the best I've played all week but I finished like an absolute amateur - three-putting 16 and four-putting 17.

"I didn't quite get the job finished and it has been a frustrating week. Tee to green I controlled my ball pretty well but I putted diabolically, which is unlike me on this type of green.

"I didn't clean up this week the way I cleaned up around Pebble Beach."

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