The Open: Rory McIlroy enjoys privilege that was previously ‘only for Tiger' while Saturday action ‘tweaked' due to loyalist parade

Belfast Telegraph

16-07-2025

Just now
Gareth Hanna
Padraig Harrington with the big line of the week
Paul Kelly on Twitter / X
We may have reached peak preview here - @kclairerogers @padraig_h on Open ice-creams #TheOpen "I will have to say, in my considered opinion, we do the best 99s here. I've tested a 99 at every Open venue, and these are definitely the biggest and the nicest so far. pic.twitter.com/MMhH1iG8bw— Paul Kelly (@KellyPrc) July 16, 2025
External contentWhen displaying external content, data is transferred to third parties.
17 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Fancy some merch?
You better be ready to queue. The snake to get into the shop is only getting longer - and you'd imagine it'll be at least this length constantly during the tournament days.
Will you sign my armband?
Firstly, if you're out and about this week, say hello and thank you to the friendly marshals around the course who are helping keep you safe at The Open. They're doing a great job.
People like Evangelina Hughes of Royal Portrush, for instance, who was delighted when she asked two-time Major champion Justin Thomas for a selfie on the 18th and not only did he agree but he signed her armband, too!
43 minutes ago
Almost an ace on Calamity
Spieth hopped the rope from 8 to reach 16, where he hit two rather contrasting tee shots. The first one was one that will have looked familiar to many - weak, right and down the slope. The second, however, was absolutely perfect. And judging by the 'ooooh' from the fans at the green, was very close to going in.
Today 03:42 PM
Gareth Hanna
The Open Camping Village
For those looking for a bit of shelter at night, The Open Camping Village at Ulster University's Coleraine campus is one option.
Tourism NI said around 4,800 guests will stay at the site this – the equivalent of an Open record 11,500 total bed nights. That surpasses the previous highest number of 10,000 at St Andrews in 2022.
Around 3,500 free bed nights for under 25s have been booked, while adult camping is priced from £55 per person per night.
Today 03:39 PM
Adam McKendry
Does he Hov a chance?
Norway's Viktor Hovland has had his fair share of ups and downs over the last couple of years but has shown signs of a mini-resurgence over the last few months, rising to 12th in the Data Golf Rankings, and he has been lapping up the support of the fans around Royal Portrush today. The 27-year-old has finished in the top-15 in three of his four Open appearances - including a tied-fourth in 2022 - but missed the cut at Royal Troon last year.
Today 03:35 PM
Gareth Hanna
Drive for show…
Spieth's putting display is my 'low-key impressive' moment of the week. He hit three putt from around 40 feet and stopped them all within a foot or two of each other. Not as easy as it looks!
Today 03:32 PM
Gareth Hanna
How do you solve a problem like the fifth?
It will be interesting to see how many players take the driver at the picturesque fifth hole as it winds downhill towards the green. Spieth tried out both driver a three wood. The driver was A1 and the wood was also in good position, just taking the bunkers out of play a little further back. It seems like the more sensible play when it comes to tomorrow - especially after Rory's lost ball episode round the green yesterday.
Today 02:53 PM
Adam McKendry
What it's like to follow Rory McIlroy: 'Only for Tiger'
On the eighth hole while following Rory McIlroy, I turned to the Sunday Independent 's Paul Kimmage, walking along beside me, and asked had he ever seen as big a crowd for a practice round ever before.
"Only for Tiger," he replied.
That is the magnitude of what is happening at Royal Portrush this week. For the last two days, McIlroy has snuck out before the gates opened and got the bulk of his preparation done with minimal fuss. Today, he embraced the fans and let them all enjoy him for nine holes, and boy they did.
At points on the course they were three deep. When he and Christiaan Bezuidenhout came to the ninth hole, not only was that grandstand behind the green full but so was the neighbouring 11th's. Both sides of the fairway were rammed.
At every part of the course, fans clamoured for selfies and autographs, eager to have a memento of their time watching the Grand Slam hero up close, ignoring McIlroy's pleas to wait until he was done with his nine holes - which was a completely fair request given the number of people wanting something signed.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder and that is clear to see that Northern Ireland have missed the Masters champion and it's not much of a surprise to see him command most of the support. Can he carry that weight of expectation when the action gets under way for real tomorrow? We'll see.
As for the golf? McIlroy birdied the second, fifth, seventh and eighth. Do that tomorrow and he'll be flying.
Today 02:51 PM
Gareth Hanna
'It's 275 - should carry it'
If ever we needed a reminder that these guys are playing a different game. Into the breeze on 4, Spieth assesses the danger of the first bunker and how he can take it out of play.
In the end he faded it off the bunker into absolutely perfect place. Good job too, because he wouldn't have carried it.
Today 02:45 PM
Gareth Hanna
Friends of a star
Emily Hannaway and Lawrence Dunn are from Atlanta, Georgia, and are here in memory of a golfer in their family - and also to see their friend from home, competitor Stewart Cink. The 2009 Open champion is set to begin his first round at 11.26am tomorrow alongside Matteo Manassero and Marc Leishman.
Today 02:41 PM
Happy Harrington
The 53-year-old insists he is not going to just make up the numbers at Royal Portrush after being handed the annual honorary first tee time at this year's Open Championship, traditionally given by the R&A to a noteworthy player but one that is not considered to actually be in contention.
Padraig Harrington insists Open ceremonial tee will not dull his competitiveness
Two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington appreciates the honour of being asked to get the tournament at Royal Portrush under way but insists the ceremonial duty will not dull his competitive edge.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Today 02:37 PM
Gareth Hanna
Green testing
Spieth is flopping plenty of shots round the green, although all these guys will realise today's flat calm conditions make these shots behave very different to tomorrow, when it gives a slightly more turbulent outlook
Today 02:31 PM
Gareth Hanna
The Dame!
Dame Laura Davies is out on the course - and even had a grin for photographer John! What a legend of the game. She has four major titles to her name, and entered the World Golf Hall of Game in 2015.
Today 02:22 PM
Gareth Hanna
Long-range Spieth selfie
This is Spencer and Tim from Australia, who are on a European tour and have stopped off at the golf. They shouted over for a selfie and Jordan Spieth told them to point the camera! Nice one.
Today 02:10 PM
Gareth Hanna
Marvellous marshals
Anybody here this week will see plenty of volunteers clad in white, lining each hole and enforcing the rules in each grandstand. They comes from a range of clubs throughout Northern Ireland. Ballyclare, Belvoir Park, Royal Belfast, Lurgan, Royal Portrush (obviously) and lots more are represented with teams of folk to help keep things in order out on the course.
Masters rival's tribute to 'the legend' of Rory McIlroy
Justin Rose has been speaking to the press today and paid tribute to McIlroy, spoke about his own heartbreaking loss to Rory at the Masters, and about Royal Portrush
On the 'legend' of Rory McIlroy
"Rory is obviously a local hero around here, and rightly so, and he has been probably since he shot 61 here as a kid. The legend around him in these parts has been growing for a long, long time. Obviously he's going to be incredibly well supported this week. I feel like the pressure is off him almost from that point of view this time around as it was to 2019 maybe even, the fact he's got nothing really more to prove.
"This would just be like cherries on top of everything. I feel like probably he's in a good mindset, I would imagine. Obviously I've had a bit of a come down off the back of the Masters. I feel like I'm coming back around to having more energy and focus again."
On The Masters
"I've kind of been here before watching the same story, obviously being in a playoff against Sergio (Garcia in 2019), so there was definitely a little bit of déjà-vu to that moment.
"I felt like I played great on Sunday. I felt like I chased as hard as I could, left it all out there. So there was more pride in the performance. I felt like I could almost imagine what it would be like to have won the Masters. I kind of feel like I have been that close.
"But when you see all the outpouring from Rory, you understand how big the moment is and you obviously wish that for yourself, obviously, but it wasn't lost on me what a huge achievement that was for the game of golf. I was able to still be happy for Rory in that moment, and it had been a long time coming for him.
"What can I say? He hit two amazing shots in the play-off. I'd imagine he felt like he'd have given it away until that point. He probably felt like he shouldn't even be in a playoff from his point of view. So for him to steady himself and to put two great swings on it when it mattered most for him, obviously when you lose to that, you can kind of walk out with your head held high and give your competitor a lot of props for that type of situation."
On Royal Portrush
"I think it's got everything, to be honest with you. I think it's tough enough off the tee where you've got to really respect it. The bunkers aren't as penal as a lot of other links golf courses necessarily. Still probably can't get on the green, but you can maybe advance the ball a little bit further than some other bunkers. But still avoiding the bunkers at all costs really around a links golf course is number one.
"The rough is thick, but there's going to be opportunity out of the rough too. You can maybe draw the odd good lie, so it's kind of got that variability. It gives you the opportunity to hit recovery shots as well, I think.
"We're going to have different wind directions this week, out of the south definitely for the first day, maybe day and a half, then potentially a little bit of north coming in again. Today was out of the north. So my practice trip was valuable because it was more of a south wind, so hopefully get a little bit more of a feel of how tomorrow is going to play for us versus today.
"That's another reason why I was not massively intent today on exactly how the course was playing because I'm not sure we're going to get that feel again."
Today 01:55 PM
Harry speaks
A rare interview with Rory McIlroy's caddy Harry Diamond on the range earlier today as he discusses Rory's set-up in the bag, how he's feeling ahead of the week and Padraig Harrington hitting the opening tee shot tomorrow.
Kyle Porter on Twitter / X
Harry says more words in this clip than I've heard him say in the last eight years combined. pic.twitter.com/QTw5Sh7G1N— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterNS) July 16, 2025
External contentWhen displaying external content, data is transferred to third parties.
Today 01:43 PM
Gareth Hanna
Rory's international fanbase
Here this week are Bryan Lynn and Becky Lynn from California and they are HUGE Rory McIlroy fans.
They said: "We were so happy for him when he won the Masters. It was one of those moments that you'll never forget where you were when he did it."