McIlroy ready to ride wave of Rory Mania at Portrush

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland :When Rory McIlroy arrived at Royal Portrush six years ago it was meant to be a glorious homecoming for Northern Ireland's most famous sportsman but his British Open hopes lasted only two rounds.

"Rory Mania" will reach new heights as golf's oldest major returns to County Antrim's stunning Causeway Coast on Thursday, but this time he insists he is better prepared to ride the wave.

Around 275,000 fans will attend the 153rd Open this week - a figure only topped by St Andrews.

A sizeable majority will be roaring for 36-year-old McIlroy as he tries to lift the Claret Jug for a second time, having first got his hands on it at Royal Liverpool in 2014.

Former world number one McIlroy completed a long-overdue career slam when he edged out Ryder Cup team mate Justin Rose in a gripping Masters battle this year, ending an 11-year major drought.

A post-Augusta dip was perhaps not surprising, but the prospect of a return to the Portrush links where he broke the course record as a 16-year-old, albeit a much re-modelled one, has re-ignited the fire.

He was joint second at last week's Scottish Open and the five-times major winner arrives in confident mood.

McIlroy went out early for 18 holes on Monday in relative peace, before fans began swarming through the gates.

2019 MEMORIES

Asked for his recollections of 2019, McIlroy, who grew up in Hollywood, 60 miles south of Portrush, said the clamour had taken him by surprise.

"I remember the ovation I got on the first tee on Thursday and not being prepared for it or not being ready for how I was going to feel," McIlroy told reporters.

"Then the golf on Thursday felt like a bit of a blur. I try to forget that part of it."

McIlroy hit a quadruple bogey eight at the first in 2019