
Rory McIlroy has a chance at this Open Championship. All of Northern Ireland is behind him
Advertisement
McIlroy finished that Friday with a lip-biting tip of the cap and a 6-under 65, what he would call one of the greatest rounds of his life. When the noise finally settled, though, the damage remained done. The wreckage of an opening 79 was too much to overcome and the Open would go on without him. All that was left was wondering what if he'd made that walk on Sunday, his hat in the air, history in hand.
'It's a moment I envisaged for the last few years,' McIlroy said that Friday of the scene on 18, 'it just happened two days early.'
Now the new version.
McIlroy was back here on Friday, back on the 18th fairway, back on the long walk among those who want everything for him. This time, he got what he wanted, and they got what they wanted. A chance.
Despite a wayward driver, McIlroy made it through the first and second rounds of this Open still intact, this time at 3-under for the tournament and seven shots off the lead heading into the weekend. He remains — despite Scottie Scheffler charging atop the leaderboard, and Matt Fitzpatrick threatening to become the first Englishman to claim the Claret Jug in 33 years, and 2023 Open champion Brian Harman jumping into the mix — the central character of this tournament.
All it'll take is two great rounds from a player who set the Royal Portrush scoring record with a 61 as a 16-year-old in 2005, and set it again after the course's 2015 renovation with his 65 in 2019.
'I didn't have this opportunity six years ago, so to play an extra two days in this atmosphere in front of these crowds, I'm very excited for that,' McIlroy said Friday. 'I feel like my game's definitely good enough to make a run.'
Perhaps McIlroy will follow his Masters win with a Hollywood — er, Holywood — weekend, turning 2025 into a career-defining season, cementing his case as the greatest European player of all time. Maybe he won't. All we know for sure is Friday's second round proved that it's possible and that this country is pulsing with hope.
McIlroy survived an uneven front nine Friday with birdies on No. 1 and No. 4 offsetting a pair of bogeys. On the par-five second, after blocking his driver in the general direction of Glenariffe, he opted to take an unplayable drop out of a mess of tall grass. McIlroy took the one-stroke penalty, blasted a second shot back into play, and salvaged a par.
Advertisement
As it went in Thursday's opening-round 1-under 70, McIlroy was playing well enough Friday to avoid 2019's washout, but not enough to push forward. Then came the par-5 12th. Finally, a fairway and a green with no issue, followed by a near-miss eagle putt, and a tap-in birdie. Something resembling momentum. A whole pint of it for the crowd.
Two holes later, on the 14th, playing partners Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas both hit 3-wood down a narrow fairway and were rewarded with trouble. Fleetwood in the left rough. Thomas in a right bunker. McIlroy? He took driver, sending a 375-yard lash 80 yards past his mates. The tee shot rolled 40 yards past the crosswalk and left McIlroy with a nippy 97-yard wedge shot into the 470-yard par-4. A birdie. More momentum.
McIlroy arrived at Portrush's closing stretch with the skies turning glower and winds growing stronger. He narrowly missed birdie on the devilish par-3 16th and followed with a par on 17. By the time McIlroy arrived on 18, the skies couldn't hold back any longer.
The driving rain might've sent some fans filing out of the grandstands surrounding the final green, but not with McIlroy coming. They waited, along with McIlroy, as Fleetwood embarked on a search and rescue mission to locate a tee shot gone awry, creating a long delay. McIlroy stood under an umbrella and you had to wonder.
Any flashbacks to those final feelings six years ago?
Did he feel the poetic symmetry so obvious to everyone else?
As far as emotions go, this week has mirrored that of the 2019 Open. Every gallery is stacked 20 rows deep. Constant shouts of 'GOOO ROR-RY!!' and 'COME-MON ROR-RY!!' Everywhere, always. Fans wave at McIlroy as if he's passing by in a motorcade, not a threesome. Kids hold up handmade signs for him, earning more camera time than many names on the leaderboard.
It can often feel like everyone is playing one tournament and McIlroy is playing another. They're playing one hole after another. McIlroy is in the midst of 72 Game 7s.
On the 12th tee Friday, McIlroy studied his ball and waggled his driver as Harris English, from the 11th fairway, struck an iron 4 feet from the pin — one of the best approach shots of the day — and only 20 or 30 yards away from 12 tee. McIlroy didn't need to back away from his shot because there was no reason to. No one cheered for English's shot. They were all staring at Rory.
Advertisement
This has been the entirety of the weekend. So what might the weekend possibly be like?
Few, if any, can understand such a fatal tension. Fleetwood has at least tasted it. Raised in Southport, England, about 20 miles from Royal Liverpool, he played the 2023 Open on a course he grew up dreaming about, in front of a crowd of friends and neighbors, and felt every heartbeat.
'Every great moment is amplified,' Fleetwood said Friday, after a 3-under 68 to move to 1 under for the week. 'But it also comes with its own sort of things that you have to manage. How much everyone else wants it for you. That's not easy. Like, they're all there for you. They want it for you and they're supporting you.'
Take that, now add McIlroy maybe being Northern Ireland's greatest-ever sportsman, and him coming off completing the career Grand Slam only three months ago, and him wrestling the ghosts of 2019.
We can't know for sure what McIlroy was thinking from the long view down the 18th fairway Friday, but he was on his way to another walk to remember. A mosaic of umbrellas surrounded the 18th this time. The roars sounded the same, but were different.
This wasn't goodbye.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Competition will be fierce in goal for Manchester City next season
For Manchester City to succeed during the 25/26 season it will take a full squad effort to propel Pep Guardiola's side back to the top of the Premier League. Perhaps there is no better example of this than the competition that will be in place in goal at City next season. James Trafford's imminent arrival at the club from Burnley should give Ederson the competition he needs to return to his best form. Cause if he doesn't James Trafford will likely become Manchester City's number one keeper next season. James Trafford and Ederson will compete to be the number one keeper at Manchester City. David Ornstein has reported for The Athletic that Ederson is set to remain at Manchester City for next season. Furthermore, Ornstein reports that Stefan Ortega is expected to leave City this summer. David Ornstein also reports that James Trafford will re-sign for City in a £27 million deal from Burnley. The young goalkeeper will also sign a 5 year contract with the club. Trafford's deal will also include an option of a one-year extension. What is clear is that James Trafford isn't returning to Manchester City to be a reserve goalkeeper. Trafford is a highly motivated individual who has previously spoken of his goal to become Manchester City's number-one goalkeeper. To accomplish that goal Trafford will have to take Ederson's place as City's first-choice keeper. Trafford is definitely capable of doing exactly that. He has the skill in possession required to start at City and is an exceptional shot stopper. If Trafford can return to City and take Ederson's position it will be cause he has earned it. James Trafford's return could also give Ederson the competition he needs to keep his place. Ideally, James Trafford and Ederson will compete for the starting spot in goal for Manchester City. To keep his spot, Ederson will have to perform at his best to keep the threat of James Trafford taking his position at bay. If the Brazilian international is below his best he will lose his spot to the young English keeper. That's the reality of the competition in goal that exists at Manchester City. But that should spur Ederson on to be at his best next season. Who becomes City's first-choice keeper next season will be a story to monitor throughout the 25/26 season. James Trafford's imminent return to Manchester City is an exciting prospect. He has long appeared destined to one day take the mantle as City's number-one goalkeeper. To do that he will have to take Ederson's place. That's the challenge in front of the English keeper when he returns to the Etihad. The fact that competition to start in goal for City will be so fierce is a positive for Pep Guardiola's side. In a season where City will be bidding to return to the top of the Premier League the entire squad will have to fight it out for places in City's starting eleven. Perhaps the fight for goalkeeping position is the best example of this.
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Saka, Ødegaard & Co train ahead of Newcastle clash
Mikel Arteta's side face Newcastle on Sunday, before heading to Hong Kong for more pre-season action.
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lionesses win would be 'huge' for women's sport
When Danni Wyatt-Hodge visits her local supermarket she is greeted by the familiar faces of the Lionesses at almost every turn. The England batter is looking to add another trophy to her ever-growing collection at the inaugural women's T20 Blast finals day at The Oval on Sunday. But she will also be firmly behind Leah Williamson, Chloe Kelly and co when they face Spain in Sunday's Euro 2025 final because she knows what another triumph would mean for women's sport in England and the growth of cricket within that. "I said to my wife this is going to be huge if the Lionesses win the Euros again. It's going to be so good for women's football and for women's sport because it gets everyone talking about it again," Wyatt-Hodge, 34, told BBC Sport. "You go into supermarkets now and all over the shelves you see the Lionesses. I hope one day it's the England cricket girls. "It's going to be amazing if they can get that win on Sunday and women's sport is going to keep on going up and up." James faces fight to be fit for Euro 2025 final How England can beat Spain in Euro 2025 final Wiegman 'not for sale at any price', says FA chief Wyatt-Hodge has watched intently from home as the Lionesses have battled their way to a second consecutive Euros final. They will be out for revenge against Spain, who emerged victorious when the two teams met in the World Cup final two years ago. Wyatt-Hodge said women's sport had "gone through the roof" since England's victory over Germany in the Euro 2022 final on home soil at Wembley. Now England's all-time leading T20 run-scorer is hoping her side can emulate that success when England and Wales host the Women's T20 World Cup next year, and inspire the next generation of female players. "It's going to be massive for us if we can win the home World Cup next summer," she said. "When I first started playing cricket there was no women's cricket where I lived. I was the only girl playing in Stoke-on-Trent and now we've got a whole league, which is amazing. I just hope girls know schools where they can play in their area. "The more that we're on TV, and we're winning and performing then we'll be inspiring the next generation and that's going to be massive." Lord's to host three England Tests in 2026 Who should be in England team for World Cup? Katherine Sciver-Brunt questions England players' mindset Wyatt-Hodge is already a World Cup winner with England and has played in the Big Bash League in Australia, as well as in packed stadiums at the Women's Premier League in India. She represents Southern Brave in the Hundred and has enjoyed a stellar first season with Surrey, having signed a new contract earlier this month. Her side go into Sunday's finals day as favourites, taking their place directly in the final after topping the group stage by 10 points. They will face the winner of The Blaze and Bears Women, who face each other in the semi-final, and Wyatt-Hodge is keen to finish the job on home turf. "It's an honour to play for Surrey and I just really hope we get the job done after a really successful campaign, everyone has turned up at some point at the tournament and that shows the squad depth," she said. "It's been amazing to play in the double-headers with the boys at some of the best grounds in the country. "For me, playing at The Oval as a batter is a dream. It's so flat and the outfield is so quick. "The standard of cricket has been so good. I've been around for a long time now and I've seen the standard of women's cricket go through the roof, which is amazing."