British Open: No Claret Jug, but redemption for McIlroy at Portrush

Rory McIlroy’s return to Royal Portrush was not the dream homecoming he had imagined, but it carried a sense of redemption for Northern Ireland’s favourite sporting son.

The five-time Major winner produced flashes of brilliance over four days, thrilling thousands on the Antrim coast, but ultimately finished tied seventh, seven shots behind champion Scottie Scheffler.

After missing the cut in 2019 when The Open returned to Portrush for the first time since 1951, this felt like a personal victory for the 36-year-old, who arrived in his Masters green jacket.

“I tried as best as I could to keep my emotions in check, especially walking up the last there and that reception,” McIlroy said. A double-bogey on the 10th halted his Sunday charge. “It’s been an awesome week. I’ve gotten everything I wanted out of this week, apart from a Claret Jug, and that’s because one person was just a little bit better than the rest of us.”

The world No. 2, who ended his 11-year Major drought with a Masters triumph in April, remains motivated for more. “I feel so thankful and just so lucky that I get to do this, I get to do this in front of this crowd,” he said, recalling his teenage course-record 61 at Portrush.

McIlroy praised Scheffler’s dominance. “He is the bar that we’re all trying to get to… only two or three players in history have been on a run like his in the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive.”

McIlroy now shifts focus to the Ryder Cup in New York. “I don’t want to play too much leading up to that because I want to be fresh,” he said.