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New York Times
18 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Welcome to Portrush and a distinctly Irish Open Championship
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Those slate gray skies, the ones tiptoing by in the west, sure seemed like they were going to skirt past. So as players left Royal Portrush after practice was suspended Monday, many of us remained on the course, confident in our decisions. Ten minutes later, what was blue above gave way to gray. Advertisement There would be no skirting past. No regrets, though. Because see, this is when these things happen. This is when, at least in this part of the world, conversation comes. This is when, especially in this part of the world, you learn just how small of a place it is, even as the entire golf ecosystem descends upon this tiny resort town along the Antrim coast. It was midday Monday when two of us found a sliver of shelter behind a scoreboard near Portrush's fourth hole. Soon, we were fast friends. No introductions. Just straight to it. Him? Oh, he lives in Belfast, but holds a membership at Portrush. He loves the course, loves the club, loves Irish golf. Is he a fan of Rory McIlroy? Are you kidding? He remembers Rory as a kid, back when he was growing up in Holywood, just outside Belfast, about an hour from here. He remembers when little Rory, at a local golf shop, was about £25 short when trying to buy a pair of FootJoys he really liked. The store owner gave 'em a wink and a deal — exactly £25 off. He remembers when, after Rory won the Doral Junior Under-10 World Championship in 1998, a representative from Acushnet visited town to put eyes on the prodigious lad. Seeing Rory swing, the rep deemed him too small to ever be a world-class pro, but furnished him with a new trio of Titleist wedges, anyway. Good laughs. But now the rain was really coming. Off he went on a dash to the car park. This is Portrush, where, even on a week that's so big, everything can feel very small. Personal, even. The course last hosted the Open Championship in 2019, a rousing week that began with a storyline polished smooth — the tournament's return to the course for the first time in 68 years, a period that, not coincidentally, spanned generations of political unrest and the sectarian violence that came amid 'The Troubles.' So much surrounding that Open came pulled through that inescapable lens. In its focus were two countries — Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland — and the difficult divides that can come with being Irish. Advertisement This version? Call it a testament to time passing. Not much need for all that pretense. This is about the Open, a championship in its 153rd year. And it's about Portrush, a seasonal town of 6,000 or so, one with a Ferris wheel and a long swath of beach, and dogs off leashes, and a gem of a links course that's carved its place in the Open rota. And it's about Irish golf. You could see it Monday afternoon on Causeway Street, not far from the course entrance. One by one, fans stopped in front of a mural of Shane Lowry holding the Claret Jug — a celebration of his 2019 win at Portrush. They smiled, snapped their pictures and selfies, and bounced along. Six years ago, it was an inescapable part of the storyline — a man from Clara, County Offaly, coming to Northern Ireland to win the Open, setting off a celebration that was both jubilant and complicated. But now there's this — a mural, one that, one might notice, happens to sit across the street from St. Patrick's, a small Catholic church with only 19 pews. 'A place that I know and love,' Lowry said Monday of Portrush. Lowry's trip here six years ago came deep in McIlroy's shadow. That was, until he made it to the weekend with a pair of 67s and a tie of the lead. Then came the round of a lifetime — an 8-under 63 that he can still hardly explain — and clear path to victory. He arrived at the 18th hole that Sunday with a six-shot lead and paraded down the fairway in some kind of dreamscape. Lowry expects the course to play a bit tougher this week than it did in 2019. He was reminded in Monday's practice round how well bunkered the course is. He was also reminded what it means for the Open to be here. 'Look, it is a big event for all us Irish people here this week. It's huge,' Lowry said. 'If you give yourself a chance, you never know what could happen if you do something very special.' Advertisement Which brings us back to McIlroy. It's hard to have a conversation in Portrush without the name coming up. The same thing every time. Can you imagine? If McIlroy's cathartic win at Augusta National in April was a moment of self-actualization for a generational player, a win this week would be something else entirely. A moment of emotional release for a person and a place that would be without description. McIlroy first played Portrush at 10 years old, when he begged his parents to take him and finally scored the trip as a birthday present. Six years later, he returned to shoot a course-record 61 in his European Tour debut at the Dunlop Masters. Portrush's place in McIlroy's origin story turned his 2019 Open appearance into a foregone conclusion — a homecoming victory for the ages. Then 30 years old and five years removed from his previous major victory, McIlroy approached that year's Open with a sense of avoidance, as if not wanting to let it be as big as it was being made to be. A difficult bargain. 'I probably tried to isolate,' McIlroy acknowledged Monday. The result: 79 impossibly poor shots in one of the most jarring, infamous first-round implosions in recent golf history and a missed cut. Maybe it's age, or the relief of that Masters victory, but things will be different this time. Seemingly, everyone at Portrush claims some kind of piece of McIlroy. The adults all have their stories of where they were when he did this or he won that. The kids, the ones using umbrellas to take practice swings and leaning over rope lines with flags to sign, are all here for him. There's no need to avoid what's all very obvious. The plan for 2025? 'I think it's better for everyone if I embrace it,' McIlroy said. That will come later. Monday, McIlroy arrived first thing in the morning to put in work. Despite a late Sunday in the final group at the Scottish Open (where he finished two shots behind winner Chris Gotterup), McIlroy was one of the first players to arrive at Portrush for his Monday practice. On four hours of sleep, he was through the front nine before fans began spreading across the course and finished 18 in time for lunch. Advertisement As the week goes, the attention will build. McIlroy knows it. Memories of '19 aren't too far off. He remembers the worst kind of internal pressure — 'Not wanting to let people down' — and how he collapsed underneath it. He remembers arriving at the first tee and being hit with an ovation that stole all the oxygen. He remembers 'being a little taken aback, like, geez, these people really want me to win.' This week won't sound any different. But it'll be different. (Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; photo of Rory McIlroy: Ramsey Cardy / Getty Images)
Forbes
a day ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Here's How To Watch Golf's 2025 Open Championship
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland is among the favorites at The 153rd Open Championship at Royal ... More Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. (Photo by) The 153rd Open Championship returns to Royal Portrush Golf Club this week, where Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele are among the betting favorites at what promises to be Northern Ireland's biggest-ever sporting event, with approximately 278,000 fans expected to attend the golf season's final major tournament. This marks the third time Royal Portrush has hosted The Open, following Max Faulkner's victory in 1951 and Irishman Shane Lowry's emotional triumph in 2019. The tournament, scheduled for July 17-20 at the iconic Dunluce links on the Antrim Coast, is set to have the largest fan turnout for an Open Championship held outside of St Andrews. While Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Xander Schauffele are among the top picks to extend the run of success by Americans in the men's majors – wins at nine of the past 10 titles – Irishman Rory McIlroy will surely be the fan favorite at Royal Portrush. McIlroy, who missed the cut on home soil in 2019, is the only non-American to claim victory over the past 10 men's majors, as his win at The Masters Tournament in April made him just the sixth person to claim the career Grand Slam. 'When I was looking at the calendar for 2025, this was the tournament that was probably circled even more so than the Masters for different reasons,' said McIlroy, who tied for second at last week's Scottish Open. 'It's lovely to be coming in here already with a major and everything else that's happened this year.' The tournament is available to watch via a mix of free television and paid streaming services, with NBC Sports providing nearly 50 hours of live coverage in total. It's important to note there's a five-hour time difference between Northern Ireland and New York (ET), so coverage of the first two rounds will start in the early morning hours on the East Coast. The Claret Jug sits on the fifth hole at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. (Photo by ... More Richard Heathcote/R&A/R&A via Getty Images) How To Watch The Open Championship TV: NBC, USA Network Streaming: Peacock, and the NBC Sports App Broadcasting Schedule (All Times ET) Coverage begins shortly before the first scheduled tee time at 1:30 a.m. ET NBC Sports will complement its comprehensive Open Championship coverage with live featured groups Thursday to Sunday streaming on Peacock, showcasing two morning groups and two afternoon groups each day. Peacock will also feature a Par-3 channel highlighting the 6th and 16th holes. Open Championship Favorites The field of 156 players is the most diverse in Open Championship history, featuring professionals and amateurs from around the globe. Among the standout storylines is McIlroy's return to Royal Portrush, where with heavy expectations in 2019 he hit his opening tee shot out of bounds, made a quadruple-bogey 8, and carded a first-round 79 en route to missing the cut. 'You get to an Open, it's a major championship, everything that comes along with it, and I just think that that feeling, the walk to the first tee and then that ovation, I was still a little surprised and a little taken aback,' said McIlroy. 'Like 'Geez, these people really want me to win.' 'I think that brought its own sort of pressure, and more internally, not really wanting to let people down. I guess it's something I didn't mentally prepare for that day or that week. But I learned pretty quickly that one of my challenges, especially in a week like this, is controlling myself and controlling that battle.' Rory McIlroy during a media conference at Royal Portrush Golf Club ahead of The 153rd Open ... More Championship. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images) So, which McIlroy will show up this week? McIlroy wasn't seriously in contention at the PGA Championship or U.S. Open but is coming off the runner-up finish in Scotland. And although he missed the cut at The Open Championship last year, he finished third and tied for sixth in the two years prior to that. Other Key Players to Watch: Shane Lowry celebrates with the Claret Jug after winning the 148th Open Championship held on the ... More Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club in 2019. (Photo by) Open Championship Betting Odds Based on the latest odds from the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook: Scottie Scheffler hits a shot during a practice round prior to the 153rd Open Championship at Royal ... More Portrush Golf Club. (Photo by Alex Pantling/R&A/R&A via Getty Images) What To Expect From The Weather At Royal Portrush All things considered, the weather forecast appears relatively benign, although there is some rain in the forecast and, like almost all Opens at seaside venues, winds coming off the North Atlantic. Temperatures are expected to hover around 68-70°F during tournament days, with light to moderate winds expected throughout the week. Of course, being on the water means the weather (and winds) can always be fickle, and who doesn't expect that at an Open Championship. 'A nice stiff breeze and a little bit of rain is not the end of the world,' said Lowry, who had to contend with strong rain and winds at times six years ago at Royal Portrush. 'If you go back to 2019 here, we got blessed with the weather in the afternoon the Saturday, and I shot 63 and it helped me win the tournament. You kind of have to take the rough with the smooth. 'The one thing you have to do when you get to an Open is take what you get, take it on the chin and just be the best you can. That's all you can do.' Shane Lowry shelters under his umbrella during the final round of the 2019 Open Championship held on ... More the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club. (Photo by) The Royal Portrush Challenge Royal Portrush's Dunluce Links presents a spectacular and challenging test, with holes that wind through some of the choppiest dunes among courses in the Open Championship rota. The course underwent significant changes prior to the 2019 Open, with two new holes (No. 7 and No. 8) created by architects Martin Ebert of Mackenzie & Ebert. The course's unique character lies in its green complexes and surrounding areas, with a number of putting surfaces nestled into dunes or elevated above fairways. Lowry's 63 in the third round of 2019 stands as the current official course record at Royal Portrush, though locals remember McIlroy's round of 61 as a 15-year-old amateur in 2005, prior to the course renovations. Rory Mcilroy during a practice round prior to the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf ... More Club. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images) Prize Money The 2025 Open Championship has a prize fund of $17 million, with the winner earning $3.1 million, the same amount as Schauffele received in 2024. It's the first time since 2012 the R&A hasn't increased the purse. As the final major of 2025, The Open at Royal Portrush promises to deliver compelling storylines -- from McIlroy's quest for home glory, to Scheffler's pursuit of a links major and Schauffele's bid for back-to-back titles -- at a beloved venue in front of the largest crowds outside of St Andrews.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Al Arabiya
Lowry Back in His Happy Place at Royal Portrush Where Mural Depicts 'Special' 2019 Win
A mural of Shane Lowry holding aloft the claret jug adorns the side wall of a house just across the road from Royal Portrush. For the people in this part of Northern Ireland it is a piece of art that serves as a constant reminder of not just one of the great victories in the British Open's 165-year history but one of the great moments for Irish sport. An Irishman winning the Open on the island of Ireland. Six years later Lowry is back on the Antrim coast looking to do it all over again. 'I didn't know what to make of it at the start,' Lowry said of the mural that immortalized the best golfing day of his life, 'and then when they did it people kept sending me pictures. Everyone that comes up here sends me pictures standing beside it. Some of them I can't say what they were doing in it,' he added laughing, 'but it is very special. I've done something special in my life.' For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. And boy did he celebrate it. There's video of Lowry, a beer in one hand and the silver claret jug in the other, singing Irish folk song 'The Fields of Athenry' in a bar in Dublin hours after his six-shot victory. It sure wasn't the only drinking hole he visited in the Irish capital that night which – to some – fueled the narrative of him being something of a party animal. 'Don't get me wrong I do enjoy it from time to time,' he said, 'but I know when I need to put my head down and work. You can't be at the top level of any sport if you're not applying yourself well and I feel like I do it.' Indeed the No. 18-ranked Lowry feels in a good place after being back home in Ireland for the past three weeks skipping the opportunity to play at the Scottish Open – regarded as a warmup to the British Open. Instead he has played a slew of the best courses in Ireland – among them Portmarnock, Waterville and also Adare Manor which is hosting the Ryder Cup in 2027 – in perfect weather. Lowry, whose only solo victory since Portrush in 2019 was the European tour's flagship BMW PGA Championship in 2022, feels rejuvenated and as prepared as he could be in his bid to become the first player to win consecutive British Opens at the same course since Tiger Woods at St. Andrews in 2000 and 05. 'Sometimes when everything is going really well I get complacent,' he said. 'I feel like when things are not going well is when I'm at my best. Go back to 2019 here, I had a meltdown on the Wednesday because I thought I wasn't going to go out and play well, but then that focused me in a little bit more.' Roared on by a raucous crowd, Lowry went on to play the best golf of his life in what at times was rough and wet weather. Few will forget the scene of Lowry – dressed all in black – marching to the 18th green on Sunday with a broad smile and his arms out wide to the backdrop of green-white-and-orange Irish flags and jubilant umbrella-holding spectators. 'I came to a place that I knew and I loved,' he said, 'and it just all clicked.' There's now a mural of him to show for it even if being lionized in such a way makes him feel uncomfortable. 'I'm happy,' Lowry said, 'I don't have to drive past it every day.'
Associated Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Lowry back in his happy place at Royal Portrush where mural depicts 'special' 2019 win
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — A mural of Shane Lowry holding aloft the claret jug adorns the side wall of a house just across the road from Royal Portrush. For the people in this part of Northern Ireland, it is a piece of art that serves as a constant reminder of not just one of the great victories in the British Open's 165-year history but one of the great moments for Irish sport. An Irishman winning the Open on the island of Ireland. Six years later, Lowry is back on the Antrim coast looking to do it all over again. 'I didn't know what to make of it at the start,' Lowry said of the mural that immortalized the best golfing day of his life, 'and then when they did it, people kept sending me pictures. 'Everyone that comes up here sends me pictures standing beside it. Some of them I can't say what they were doing in it,' he added, laughing, 'but it is very special. I've done something special in my life.' And, boy, did he celebrate it. There's video of Lowry, a beer in one hand and the silver claret jug in the other, singing Irish folk song 'The Fields of Athenry' in a bar in Dublin hours after his six-shot victory. It sure wasn't the only drinking hole he visited in the Irish capital that night, which — to some — fueled the narrative of him being something of a party animal. 'Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy it from time to time,' he said, 'but I know when I need to put my head down and work. 'You can't be at the top level of any sport if you're not applying yourself well, and I feel like I do it.' Indeed, the No. 18-ranked Lowry feels in a good place after being back home in Ireland for the past three weeks, skipping the opportunity to play at the Scottish Open — regarded as a warmup to the British Open. Instead, he has played a slew of the best courses in Ireland — among them Portmarnock, Waterville and also Adare Manor, which is hosting the Ryder Cup in 2027 — in perfect weather. Lowry, whose only solo victory since Portrush in 2019 was the European tour's flagship BMW PGA Championship in 2022, feels 'rejuvenated' and as prepared as he could be in his bid to become the first player to win consecutive British Opens at the same course since Tiger Woods at St. Andrews in 2000 and '05. 'Sometimes when everything is going really well, I get complacent,' he said. 'I feel like when things are not going well is when I'm at my best. 'Go back to 2019 here, I had a meltdown on the Wednesday because I thought I wasn't going to go out and play well, but then that focused me in a little bit more.' Roared on by a raucous crowd, Lowry went on to play the best golf of his life in what at times was rough and wet weather. Few will forget the scene of Lowry — dressed all in black — marching to the 18th green on Sunday with a broad smile and his arms out wide, to the backdrop of green-white-and-orange Irish flags and jubilant umbrella-holding spectators. 'I came to a place that I knew and I loved,' he said, 'and it just all clicked.' There's now a mural of him to show for it, even if being lionized in such a way makes him feel uncomfortable. 'I'm happy,' Lowry said, 'I don't have to drive past it every day.' ___ AP golf:
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Lowry back at scene of biggest win as Open returns to Portrush'
"Have you heard a noise like that on a golf course ever before?" I recall bellowing those words to BBC Radio 5 Live listeners amid the celebratory din that accompanied Shane Lowry tapping in to complete his tumultuous victory at the 2019 short putt at Royal Portrush capped one of the greatest performances ever witnessed at golf's most historic championship. He finished at 15 under par, six clear of England's Tommy was no cliff hanger, the outcome had been known with an hour to spare but it was still a properly captivating moment that prompted such a full throated roar. An Irishman ending the 68-year wait to crown an Open champion on the island of was a nigh-on perfect script for one of the most eagerly anticipated championships ever played. It was such a success it returns to Northern Ireland's Antrim Coast this coming week, just six years on from that extraordinary then, previous major winners Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke had been at the centre of the local pre-tournament only came to the fore when the golf early 67 put him within a shot of first-round leader JB Holmes. Lowry matched that score the following day before firing a scintillating 63 to take a four-shot lead into the final the end he was a rampant winner. "The Saturday afternoon, the last few holes was the most incredible experience my whole career," Lowry told BBC Sport."Like, Sunday it was unbelievable, but Saturday was one of those days that I will remember forever."Martin Slumbers (the former R&A chief executive) said it is one of his most memorable Open moments and to hear him say that was pretty cool."Standing in the scorers afterwards and the crowd singing and all that type of stuff, and I was playing, you know, some of the best golf in my life. I felt like I couldn't do anything wrong." 'I couldn't eat I was so nervous' Who knows what might have happened had Fleetwood made the most of a birdie chance on the first hole of the final round and Lowry had missed a challenging bogey putt on that opening lead might have shrunk to a single shot in the blink of an eye. But it did not and Lowry completed a composed 72 to cruise home, roared on by the joyfully partisan galleries."Sunday was a tough day, but I got through it pretty well and thankfully I came out on the right side," said the 38-year-old from Clara, County was when Lowry birdied the 15th moments after Fleetwood's double bogey at the previous hole that the tournament was effectively over. The Irishman's father, Brendan, had somehow got himself inside the ropes and was punching the air with delight."The first time I saw him inside the ropes was on the fourth green," Lowry recalled. "And I made birdie there."Obviously he wouldn't have been able to see much outside the ropes."But that's why I do all this. You do it for your family and when I got to the 18th green, when you see everyone at the back of the green, that's when it hit me really hard what I had just achieved."Until then he had been in that often elusive mental zone of total concentration. It was as though he was the only person unaware of the cold, wet weather - the only man on the course not wearing waterproofs."I put them on on the eighth green and I three putted," he recalled. "And then I took them off for my tee shot on nine."Yeah, I was wearing a short sleeve, like a gilet top and it was pretty cold. I don't know what I was thinking, I couldn't eat, I was so nervous."I don't know what I was feeling but I knew what was at stake and if I didn't succeed how bad it would have been. I just didn't feel the weather like everyone else!"Lowry did not properly celebrate until he escaped Portrush and arrived in Dublin late that Sunday night. "I drove there," he said."I didn't have a drink until I got to Dublin. I mean what a night it was and the days that followed. And if I did it again, I'd do the same all over again."You need to celebrate your achievements in this game because we lose so much." 'I'm not going to be happy unless I perform again' Lowry had reason for optimism heading into that 2019 Open. He had won early that year in Abu Dhabi and decent form followed. But he also knew it could be a challenging week on home soil."It's funny, I always find Irish Opens quite difficult to go and play in and perform in because I try so hard and expect a lot of myself," said the man who landed that title as an amateur in 2009."Ultimately I want to win. I really, really want to win another one. And to go and play The Open in Portrush was a whole other level of that expectation and that want to succeed."But for some reason, it just went well that week for me. I went in there a little bit more under the radar than I normally would."Because of Rory and GMac and Clarkie and the Portrush connection there, I felt like I was just able to go up and do my thing."He knows returning this time will not have the same dynamic. While Masters champion McIlroy will still be centre of attention, the spotlight will also shine on Lowry."The first time in Portrush I felt there was no expectation on me apart from myself and you know it was all a Rory show. But I feel like it's gonna be a little bit different this time," he said."There will have to be something in place for me to go about my business the way I want because, ultimately, yes, it's great - I won there last time - but I'm not going to be happy unless I perform again there this time."Since that win he has claimed the 2022 BMW PGA title at Wentworth and won last year's Zurich Classic pairs event with McIlroy on the PGA Tour. Lowry climbed into the world's top 10 earlier this year and is currently 18th in the was ranked 33rd when he lifted the Claret Jug and now a veteran of two Ryder Cups he is clearly a finer player better equipped to deal with the game's biggest moments than he was in laughed when I put this to him. "You have maybe given me something there, so maybe I'll use that," he smiled."I always feel like when I go to the Open Championship, if I can rock up mentally in the right place I can achieve something good that week."You know, not only that week in Portrush, but even Troon last year (finishing sixth)."I feel like I didn't get the best out of myself in Troon, albeit I had a great week, so I'll figure something out and do my best for this one."
