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The Independent
16-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
‘Proud' Darren Clarke says Rory McIlroy will receive ‘unbelievable' reception at Royal Portrush
Former Open champion and Ryder Cup star, Darren Clarke, says he's as proud of what Rory McIlroy has achieved in golf as if one of his sons had done the same. The pair first met on Rory's 10th birthday in 1999, Clarke very much an established name at the time and McIlroy starstruck. Since then, that young Northern Irishman has gone on to eclipse his role model, in terms of on course achievements and completed the Grand Slam of golf with his US Masters victory in April. 'I watched every shot,' Clarke told the Guardian. 'I couldn't take my eyes off it. Rory winning there was almost like watching my two boys, Tyrone and Conor, win. I was that emotional. 'I have known Rory for so long, I know his talent and his journey. To get over the line and do it, in true Rory fashion keeping us on the edge of our seats until the very end. It was destiny for Rory to join that exalted company. 'I was very proud just watching it. If I gave a 0.0001% help in his journey then brilliant but it was more pride, knowing him as I do. It isn't often you will watch something and feel like you are watching your own two boys play.' Clarke recalls both the first meeting between the pair and all the hype around the young player at the time but says he doesn't want to claim any glory on the back of his friend's achievements. 'I am not saying this to be all 'I told you so' but you could see back then how good he was, how much potential he had,' said the 56-year-old. 'Now, potential and turning into the player that he has become are two different things but the talent he showed even from that age was just incredible. He was gifted, totally gifted.' McIlroy's form took a well documented dip after that Masters triumph, the nature of which must have been an incredibly draining experience, both physically and mentally. Having lifted his sole major, the Claret Jug, 14 years ago, Clarke will have some appreciation for how that might feel but he admits: 'I'm not in any shape or form comparing what I did with Rory but when you search and go for so long trying to achieve your goals, sometimes it is hard to have a reset afterwards. 'He has achieved what only five other people in the history of our game have, so it's no wonder there is a reset for him. The reception he will get at Portrush will be unbelievable.' Rory McIlroy will tee off at 3.10pm on Thursday in search of a sixth major title and a second Open win, having succeeded in 2014 at Hoylake. He'll be partnered by Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas.
Straits Times
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Shane Lowry hoping for more British Open magic at Royal Portrush
Ireland's Shane Lowry in action on the second hole during a practice round on July 15, 2025, ahead of the British Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. County Antrim – Missing the cut at the past two Majors has not dimmed Shane Lowry's confidence as the Irishman returns to the scene of his greatest triumph this week. Lowry followed up a T42 at the US Masters with early exits at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and the US Open at Oakmont. He won his lone Major at the British Open at Royal Portrush – site of this week's championship – in Northern Ireland in 2019, finishing 15-under to defeat Englishman Tommy Fleetwood by a whopping six strokes. 'I kind of pride myself on not missing cuts, especially in the big events. I feel like I can always get myself there or thereabouts in the big events and I have done over the last number of years,' Lowry said on July 14 at Royal Portrush. 'But I've been consistently quite good this year. I've given myself a couple of chances to win, which I'm very disappointed that I didn't, but we've got a few months left to kind of redeem myself and get a win on the board.' Lowry, 38, who skipped last week's Scottish Open, is ranked No. 18 in the world and has four top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season. He tied for second at the Truist Championship in May and was second at Pebble Beach in February. 'No matter how well you're playing the season, if you don't have a win beside your name at least once, you don't really class it as being very good,' Lowry said. 'Yeah, but my season has been going – I've got a good FedExCup ranking (17th) at the minute and things have been going all right.' Lowry said he had 'spent the last six years' trying to figure out why everything came together for him at Royal Portrush in 2019. 'I'd been playing pretty solid, like really good golf the whole year,' he said. 'Then I came to a place that I knew and I loved, and it just all clicked. I was playing some of the best golf of my life.' A huge mural commemorating Lowry's 2019 victory at Royal Portrush was unveiled a year ago on the side of a house just half a mile from the course. The modest Lowry, still searching for his second Major title, joked he was pleased the house he is staying in this week was in the opposite direction, so he won't have to drive past it every day. 'When I won here in 2019 it was very special and it was an amazing day for the country and everyone around me, but it didn't change me as a person,' he said. At the 2024 Open at Royal Troon, Lowry held the lead entering Saturday's round and finished sixth. Despite the disappointing results at the last two Majors, Lowry said he feels like he is a better golfer now than he was six years ago. 'But it doesn't mean I'm going to go out and win by seven this year instead of six. It's just golf; that's the way it is,' he said. 'I think, as a golfer, you always have to look at it as the glass is always half full. You can't look at it any other way. 'If you look at it any other way, you're going to be in trouble. So I try and look at it that way all the time.' REUTERS, AFP
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Rory McIlroy switches focus to British Open after runner-up finish at the Scottish Open
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy in action during the final round of the Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick on July 13. NORTH BERWICK – Rory McIlroy was delighted with his form at the Scottish Open after finishing runner-up to American Chris Gotterup on July 13 and the Northern Irishman said his game is in a good place heading into the British Open at Royal Portrush this week. McIlroy was looking to become the first player to win the US Masters and Scottish Open in the same season but finished two shots behind world No. 158 Gotterup at the Renaissance Club, tied with Marco Penge for second place. The 36-year-old has struggled to find his best form after completing the career Grand Slam at the Masters in April and said in June he had not known how hard it would be to stay motivated. However, after a strong performance in North Berwick, the five-time Major champion said he was now ready to fully focus on the Open from July 17 to 20 in Northern Ireland. 'I'm really happy with where everything is,' McIlroy, who won the 2014 British Open, told reporters. 'Looking forward to getting to Portrush tonight and getting out onto the golf course early tomorrow and just turning my attention to that. 'I'm really happy with where my game is, the way I played over the weekend, the shots that I hit, how I controlled my ball flight. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore to train more aviation and maritime officials from around the world Singapore Special edition SG60 Nets card now on sale for $10 Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat Business Singapore's economy sees surprise expansion in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate Singapore Jail, caning for man who had 285 child porn videos showing over 400 children, including infants Singapore Jail for woman who opened bank accounts that received over $640.7m, including scam proceeds Singapore Driver assisting with police probe after e-bike rider injured in hit-and-run in Hougang Sport After Olympic heartbreak, Singaporean swimmer Chantal Liew turns pain into inspiration 'It has been a great week. Missing the trophy, that's about it,' added the world No. 2, who missed the cut at the 2024 British Open at Royal Troon. On July 13, Gotterup's four-under 66 to finish on 15 under 265 was too good for McIlroy. 'This is awesome,' Gotterup said, fighting back tears. 'I'm not going to be able to keep it together.' But he kept it together at key moments in the final round. Gotterup's 15-under 265 total was two strokes better than McIlroy and England's Penge at The Renaissance Club. It was Gotterup's second PGA Tour win and guaranteed him a spot during at the British Open. Penge shot 66 in the final round and McIlroy posted 68. McIlroy, aiming to win the tournament for the second time in three years, led after back-to-back birdies on the fourth and fifth holes. But after a birdie on No. 8, he had pars across each of the last 10 holes. 'Chris played a great round of golf,' McIlroy said. 'He was so solid. Made the bogey on 15 but bounced back with a really nice birdie on 16. Yeah, after he got a couple ahead, I just couldn't claw back.' Gotterup used four birdies on a six-hole stretch ending at No. 12 to move to the top. He held a two-shot edge until his bogey on No. 15, where he hit his tee shot in the rough. But on the next hole, Gotterup rolled in a 10-foot birdie for a two-shot advantage again. He sensed it was a key situation. Denmark's Nicolai Hojgaard (64) and England's Matt Fitzpatrick (67) shared fourth place at 12 under. REUTERS, AFP
Belfast Telegraph
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Golf fever builds in Portrush as six-year wait for return of The Open is finally over
Excitement is at fever pitch in the seaside town, with a thrilling week of action on the cards at Royal Portrush as the world's greatest players vie for the Major title. The first of four official practice days got under way yesterday ahead of the sold-out tournament, which tees off on Thursday. US Masters winner Rory McIlroy is among the favourites to lay his hands on the coveted Claret Jug. McIlroy's hopes of heading for Royal Portrush with another title under his belt were dashed yesterday at the Scottish Open, where Chris Gotterup held off the Co Down star's challenge to claim his maiden DP World Tour title. But with a home crowd in north Antrim behind him, there are high hopes McIlroy could rekindle his fire on the course where he famously shot a record 61 as a 16-year-old. Who is Rory McIlroy and what is golf's Career Grand Slam? So too could Shane Lowry, who is hoping for a repeat of his success in 2019 when the championship was last played in Portrush. The Co Offaly is depicted on a large mural near the entrance to the course marking his triumph. Last year's Open champion Xander Schauffele is also in with a strong chance. Coleraine councillor Russell Watton said the huge sporting event will bring great economic benefits to the north coast. 'It will be a very busy weekend, there is no doubt about that,' he said. 'Rory McIlroy is very well supported here, it will be massive. "It's hard to go into Portrush even now, and that is just a week before the kick off to the main event.' Fellow councillor John Wisener echoed those sentiments. He said: 'I was actually just watching Rory at the Scottish Open. Sadly, I don't think we will have the weather we have had this weekend for it next week. 'But it will be fantastic for Portrush, all of the councillors have spoken about how this will benefit us economically. "But, it's all about the people, and if they enjoy themselves. 'I would like to see Rory win this year, I think it is a lot of pressure for him. "I believe the pressure of The Open will be more for him than the US Masters, since it's on his home soil. 'Shane Lowry won back in 2019, I was fortunate enough to go each day then. 'The North West 200 is great for the north coast, but this is something else. Spectators have been urged to avail of public transport for the event, with Translink partnering and Royal Portrush to develop a strategy to help spectators get to and from the course. There were fears that there would be a disruption to services on July 18 and 19 as a result of industrial action by train staff, but there is now an agreement in place with unions. All eyes are now on Portrush, with a staggering 5,000 hours of global television coverage expected to be generated as the tournament is beamed around the globe. The spectator village and its bars, shops and food outlets is fully stocked in anticipation of large crowds throughout the week.
The Citizen
13-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Rory McIlroy can double your money
World No 2 bounces back to form at Scottish Open. Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland is in a good position going into the final round of the Scottish Open. Picture:Rory McIlroy landed in the rough after he achieved the Grand Slam of Golf by winning the US Masters. Intense emotion hit him but also smacked his golfing form. But the charismatic Northern Irishman is back – just in time for next week's Open Championship at Royal Portrush, in his homeland. McIlroy has relentlessly climbed the leaderboard at this week's Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club and is a clear favourite (R2.20 the Win with Betway) to lift the trophy on Sunday evening. The world No 2 tees off Sunday's final round as joint leader on -11 – with American Chris Gotterup (R5.10 the Win), whose 61 on Friday broke the course record. The R2.20 the Outright Win for McIlroy will be very tempting for knowledgeable golfing fans – as will the R2.00 for a Matchup Win in Sunday's final round against Gotterup (R3.45 the Matchup) and third-placed Wyndham Clark (R3.45) of the US. Tied for third with Clark are Matthew Fitzpatrick (R9.25 the Outright), Jake Knapp (R14.40) and Marco Penge (R14.40), but all three were erratic during Saturday's third round on the North Berwick links course. The three-way Matchup between this trio – Fitzpatrick (R2.35), Knapp (R3.05) and Penge (R3.05) – is a toss-up but big-hitting Penge offers an exciting ride for his backers. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler isn't often linked in a Matchup with DP World Tour stalwarts Francesco Laporta and Kristoffer Reitan and his R1.63 to get the better of them is probably worth the bother as the American gets the hang of links golf's peccadillos.
