“Friday the whatever of July 2019,” says Rory McIlroy while recalling the last time he played at Royal Portrush. That week ended in disappointment—he shot a 79 in the first round, then followed it up with a determined 65, finishing at +2, just one shot short of making the cut. Now, as the championship returns to Portrush in 2025, the pressure is still there, but McIlroy is no longer the same. The big question is how that difficult experience has shaped his mindset today.
The Irishman opened up in a lead-up interview with ASAP Sports to this year’s Open about his preparation to tee off the greens. Acknowledging his past struggles, McIlroy addressed the need to have better ball flight control, especially in the tricky left-to-right winds. Rory McIlroy says he’s more prepared this year at Portrush, having a better say in his shot shaping, especially in ever-changing conditions.
In a world-first for golf, Spidercam technology will bring millions of TV viewers closer to the world’s best golfers than ever before during The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush.
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— The Open (@TheOpen) July 11, 2025
In the interview, he was asked if “you were 80 percent on Thursday in terms of Portrush, where are you now?” McIlroy fired back with assurance, “I’m pretty much there. One of the things I was wanting to work on was my sort of ball flight in that left-to-right wind. I don’t know if it’s luck or whatever but you know, the wind on the range now is straight off the left. It has been for the last day and a half.” He further shared his insight on how the driver has felt for him.
McIlroy said, “I feel good with the driver. For me with the driver, as long as the misses aren’t big, I’m happy.” It appears McIlroy is confident in his play, embracing the unpredictability of links golf. “All the things you need to do well on links golf to succeed,” McIlroy added. Such certainty does not come out of thin air, especially when the slightest changes in wind can alter the swings. Now, as we have that cleared, let’s see who’s returning, who has looked back for the Claret Jug.
The Battle for the Claret Jug Begins at Royal Portrush 2025
The 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush is set to begin on July 17, and it’s bringing together some of the biggest names in golf. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the favorite to win his first The Open title after a strong season. But he’ll face tough competition, especially from Rory McIlroy, who recently won the 2025 Masters. McIlroy is playing on home soil and will be hoping to bounce back from his heartbreaking missed cut at Portrush in 2019.
There’s no shortage of other strong players in the mix. LIV Golf stars Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are looking dangerous, while defending champion Xander Schauffele will try to hold onto the Claret Jug—one of the most iconic trophies in all of sports. Fans can also expect big performances from Collin Morikawa, Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, Robert MacIntyre, and former winner Shane Lowry. Some big names will be missing from the 2025 Open at Royal Portrush. Tiger Woods is out due to injury, and local favorite Graeme McDowell failed to qualify.
With so much talent in the field, this year’s Open is shaping up to be an exciting and emotional tournament.
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