Rory McIlroy’s preliminary takeaway from this 153rd Open?
The feelings, McIlroy mentioned, had been “much more constructive than they had been six years in the past.”
Again in 2019 at Royal Portrush, not removed from McIlroy’s hometown of Holywood, Northern Eire, McIlroy piped his first tee ball out of bounds, made quadruple bogey and ultimately opened in 79. Regardless of a 65 the following day, McIlroy would miss the reduce.
This time, McIlroy caught round for 4 days of heavy reward from the hometown crowd, which showered McIlroy all over his 10-under efficiency and T-7 end, his thirty third profession main top-10, eight in The Open.
“I’ve gotten the whole lot I needed out of this week aside from a Claret Jug, and that’s simply because one particular person was just a bit bit higher than the remainder of us,” McIlroy mentioned.
McIlroy known as his eagle on the par-5 twelfth gap on Saturday “one of many coolest moments I’ve ever had on a golf course.” Sunday’s stroll up the 18th gap was equally cool, as McIlroy fought to maintain the tears from flowing.
“I feel there’s loads of gratitude,” McIlroy mentioned, “and yeah, loads of satisfaction. Loads of satisfaction that I’m from these shores, and partly with the best way I’ve performed and advocated for this little nation, The Open has returned right here, and it’s been a tremendous venue. Hopefully the R&A preserve coming again.”
As of now, Portrush doesn’t have a return date to host the sport’s oldest main championship. Solely the following two years, nonetheless, are spoken for.
McIlroy, at age 36, hopes that he’ll get to play at the least yet one more Open right here in his lifetime.
“Most likely one whereas I’m nonetheless aggressive and one other one whereas I’m extra grey than I already am,” McIlroy mentioned, earlier than later including: “Truthfully, I feel Portrush has rapidly changed into probably the greatest two or three venues that The Open goes to. Discuss to each participant this week, and so they received’t say one single unhealthy factor concerning the golf course. Then I simply suppose the best way it units up, from a logistical standpoint, I feel the R&A have labored so effectively with the native authorities to verify the whole lot runs easily…
“It’s solely been six years since 2019. I’m unsure Portrush goes to have The Open each six years, however that may be good.”
