Latest news with #Portrush
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Rory McIlroy ready for next challenge after ‘climbing Everest' with Masters win
Rory McIlroy is ready for a new challenge after 'climbing my Everest' of winning the Masters and has set his sights on next month's Open at Portrush. McIlroy ended a difficult week at the US Open on a high on Sunday, going some way to exorcising the demons of an Oakmont course that had tortured him for the first three days. Advertisement The 36-year-old played his best golf of the week, with the sort of accuracy and guile that he would have longed for on Thursday and Friday, carding a three-under-par 67 to finish on seven over. The early pairings are showing that there are scoring opportunities out there. Rory now -3 for the day after this birdie. — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 15, 2025 It was not just the bruising difficulty of Oakmont which had him feeling fuzzy-headed this week, though, as McIlroy still suffers the hangover of that momentous win at Augusta in April, where he became just the sixth male player to complete a career grand slam of majors. He has accepted that he needs time to regain his focus and knows next month's Open on home soil in Northern Ireland is the place to do it. 'Look, I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb,' he said. 'An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those. Advertisement 'If I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don't know what can motivate me. Six birdies in a final round 67 (-3) for Rory ✍️ #USOpen — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 15, 2025 'I just need to get myself in the right frame of mind. I probably haven't been there the last few weeks.' Next month's final major of the year is just 65 miles from where he grew up playing at Holywood and it will be his first visit to Northern Ireland since winning the green jacket and completing the set. 'I feel like playing an Open at Portrush already (in 2019) and at least remembering what those feelings were like and those feelings that I was probably unprepared for at the time,' he said. Advertisement 'Obviously it will be my first time sort of in public back home after winning the Masters. It should be a really nice week. Sport Robert MacIntyre falls short as JJ Spaun clinches... Read More 'Hopefully I can celebrate with them on Sunday night with the Claret Jug and the green jacket. 'It will be amazing to go home and play in that atmosphere and see a lot of people that I still haven't seen yet. I'm really looking forward to it. 'It was nice to end this week with a bit of a positive note with the way I played today, and yeah, I'll just be looking forward to and trying to get myself prepared for Portrush.' Advertisement
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rory McIlroy Makes Strong Career Statement After US Open
Rory McIlroy Makes Strong Career Statement After US Open originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It was a tough weekend for the world's No. 2 golfer, Rory McIlroy. He was never really in contention at Oakmont, but he managed to finish strong on Sunday. Advertisement McIlroy posted rounds of 74, 72, 74, and a final-day 67 to finish +7 for the tournament. When he completed his round, he was tied for 23rd overall. His 3-under score on Sunday tied Jon Rahm for the best round of the day. The 36-year-old had admitted both before and during the U.S. Open that he struggled to find motivation. Earlier this season, he completed the career grand slam by winning the Masters at Augusta, which may have contributed to a sense of emotional plateau. In an interview after Sunday's final round, McIlroy was candid about his mindset and future goals. reported a portion of his post-round comments. "Rory McIlroy just spoke to the media following his final round at the U.S. Open," it posted on X. McIlroy is how he started: Advertisement "If I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don't know what can motivate me," McIlroy said. He expanded on how achieving a major career milestone left him searching for new inspiration. "I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb. An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those," he added. Rory McIlroy at Quail Hollow. Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images The U.S. Open was McIlroy's first career major victory, which he earned back in 2011 with an eight-shot win over Jason Day. By making the cut this year, McIlroy extended his streak to seven straight made cuts at the event. Advertisement Looking ahead to the Open Championship, McIlroy will be aiming for his second title at the event. He won it in 2014 but was unable to defend his title in 2015 after withdrawing due to an ankle injury. He made the cut three consecutive years after that, though he missed the cut last season, snapping a run of back-to-back top-6 finishes. Related: Scottie Scheffler Earns New Nickname After 16th PGA Tour Win Related: Scottie Scheffler Reacts to Ryder Cup Announcement on Thursday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rory McIlroy's ‘Everest' claim about Masters win amid poor US Open finish
The post Rory McIlroy's 'Everest' claim about Masters win amid poor US Open finish appeared first on ClutchPoints. Rory McIlroy finished his US Open with a 67 on Sunday, his best round of the week at Oakmont Country Club. But it was a poor week for McIlroy overall, barely making the cut and never entering contention. Just two months ago, Rory McIlroy won The Masters and completed the career Grand Slam. He admitted after the round that motivation has been an issue. But with The Open Championship returning to Northern Ireland, he knows it's time to get back on track. 'If I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don't know what can motivate me … I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb. An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those,' McIlroy said, per Golf Digest. Advertisement July will mark the third Open Championship at Royal Portrush, and the second of McIlroy's career. He missed the cut in 2019, with a Friday 65 leaving him just one shot short of the cut. Since then, this year's Masters is the only major he has won. He hopes that the win lifts the pressure and doesn't leave him complacent. McIlroy's friend and fellow Irishman Shane Lowry won the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush. While McIlroy's five majors and career Grand Slam leave him with a better career than Lowry, Shane has said if he could pick any tournament in his career to win, it would be the Open at Royal Portrush. That could very well be true for McIlroy, who may not get another chance to play the Open in his home country. The US Open was a disaster for McIlroy, which is disappointing after last year's close call. But if he ends the year with two majors, no one will remember his rough week at Oakmont. The Open Championship begins on July 17. Related: US Open final round resumes after lengthy rain delay Related: Adam Scott's powerful message amid incredible US Open Oakmont run
The Independent
13 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Rory McIlroy turns to next challenge after ‘climbing Everest' at Masters
Rory McIlroy is ready for a new challenge after 'climbing my Everest' of winning the Masters and has set his sights on next month's Open at Portrush. McIlroy ended a difficult week at the US Open on a high on Sunday, going some way to exorcising the demons of an Oakmont course that had tortured him for the first three days. The 36-year-old played his best golf of the week, with the sort of accuracy and guile that he would have longed for on Thursday and Friday, carding a three-under-par 67 to finish on seven over. It was not just the bruising difficulty of Oakmont which had him feeling fuzzy-headed this week, though, as McIlroy still suffers the hangover of that momentous win at Augusta in April, where he became just the sixth male player to complete a career grand slam of majors. He has accepted that he needs time to regain his focus and knows next month's Open on home soil in Northern Ireland is the place to do it. 'Look, I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb,' he said. 'An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those. 'If I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don't know what can motivate me. 'I just need to get myself in the right frame of mind. I probably haven't been there the last few weeks.' Next month's final major of the year is just 65 miles from where he grew up playing at Holywood and it will be his first visit to Northern Ireland since winning the green jacket and completing the set. 'I feel like playing an Open at Portrush already (in 2019) and at least remembering what those feelings were like and those feelings that I was probably unprepared for at the time,' he said. 'Obviously it will be my first time sort of in public back home after winning the Masters. It should be a really nice week. 'Hopefully I can celebrate with them on Sunday night with the Claret Jug and the green jacket. 'It will be amazing to go home and play in that atmosphere and see a lot of people that I still haven't seen yet. I'm really looking forward to it. 'It was nice to end this week with a bit of a positive note with the way I played today, and yeah, I'll just be looking forward to and trying to get myself prepared for Portrush.' The final round of the US Open at Oakmont was suspended after torrential rain left parts of the course flooded. Play was called to a halt at 1601 local time (2101 BST) after a heavy storm arrived in the Pittsburgh area, with large amounts of water gushing off the greens. Overnight leader Sam Burns had a one-shot advantage over playing partner Adam Scott
Telegraph
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Rory McIlroy hoping final-round 67 can help him ‘climb another mountain' at Portrush
Home is where the restart is for Rory McIlroy. The world no 2 finished the 125th US Open with his best round of the championship and then stated his belief that a move back to Europe and a major in his own country will see him relight the competitive fires that were snuffed out with that fulfilment of a dream at the Masters in April. McIlroy's mood on Sunday was in stark contrast to Saturday – when he railed at the media and revealed that he had not much cared whether he made the cut here or no – and although a three-under 67 at Oakmont can do that to a golfer, there can be no doubt that he is suffering with fatigue when it comes to Stateside golf. He is committed to the Travelers Championship, starting in Connecticut on Thursday, and then flies over the pond. He and wife Erica will move into their new home in Wentworth and then, after the Scottish Open, will play in The Open at Royal Portrush, an hour north of Holywood, the Belfast suburb where he grew up. For the player who concedes to feeling flat since completing the career grand slam courtesy of that green jacket, this opportunity is just the impetus he needs. 'Look, if I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don't know what can motivate me,' he said. 'I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb. An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those.' 'I'm looking forward to just getting back to Europe in general. Obviously, I've got one more week over here, but we've got a lot to look forward to, got our new house in London, play the Scottish and then obviously The Open. Just trying to get myself in the right frame of mind to approach that.' Six years ago, McIlroy was a huge favourite – with the bookmakers and, of course with the supporters – to prevail as the major returned to Portrush for the first time in 68 years. But in the event McIlroy – who famously shot a 61 on the Dunluce links as a 16-year-old – missed the cut after opening with a torrid 78. The 36-year-old is determined to exorcise that memory. 'I feel like playing an Open at Portrush already and sort of at least remembering what those feelings were like and those feelings that I was probably unprepared for at the time. 'I didn't realise how emotional I was going to be. I think that was a thing I was unprepared for more than anything else. I remember I hit a shot into the 12th or 13th on the Friday night, when I was obviously trying to make the cut. 'I remember the roar when the ball hit the green, and I felt like I was about to burst into tears. Just that support and that love from your own people. So I was unprepared for that. I need to just get myself in the right frame of mind to feel those feelings again. It will be my first time back home in public after winning the Masters. Hopefully, I can celebrate with them on Sunday night with the Claret Jug and the green jacket.' 'He looks fed up to me' At least one fellow Irishman will be delighted to have heard this overnight transformation in tone. Paul McGinley, the former Ryder Cup captain, saw McIlroy hurl a club on Saturday and then, just a few holes later demolish a tee marker and listened to a bad-natured exchange with the media in which he said, 'it's more the case that I'm frustrated with you guys'. And he worried for his countryman. 'I didn't enjoy it,' McGinley said on Saturday night. 'Rory's better than that. Either not talking to the media or giving a press conference like that doesn't serve him fairly or rightly for the person that he is. 'He looks fed up to me. He looks like he's had enough of everything. Whether it was the emotional release of everything that's gone on in his career, I don't know. But he's not himself.' Certainly, he looked like the old McIlroy in this six-birdie effort – that took him to seven-over and into the top 30 – or least the McIlroy who commanded the first third of the season, with wins at Pebble Beach and at The Players before joining Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan in the clean-sweep pantheon. As ever with McIlroy, his positivity traces back to the tee and from a technical standpoint this is where he will take optimism from Oakmont. He missed the cut in the previous week's Canadian Open after an atrocious performance with the club that most defines his game. 'I feel like I've driven the ball well all week,' he said. 'And after the way I drove it today, I'd say I finished in the top five in strokes gained off the tee. Really encouraged. I feel like I got a really good feeling in my swing with the driver, which is great. 'Hopefully, I can continue that on into next week. Yeah, it's close. Physically I feel like my game's there. It's just mentally getting myself in the right frame of mind to get the best out of myself.'
