Rory McIlroy admits he prioritised Royal Portrush return over career Grand Slam

Rory McIlroy may have begun another year with the ambition of completing a career Grand Slam but a return to his home Open at Royal Portrush was the one week he was really looking forward to.

The 36-year-old did duly end an 11-year wait to add a Masters green jacket to his collection, however, it was the thought of returning to the course where he shot 61 as a 16-year-old but badly let down himself – and the huge support he had – by failing to make the cut here in 2019 which had his attention.

He spoke about learning from that experience, having allowed emotion to get the better of him and promptly hitting his opening tee shot out of bounds, and appears to have emerged from his post-Masters comedown.

“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 the Northern Irishman, who grew up an hour’s drive away in Holywood.

“It’s lovely to be coming in here already with a major and everything else that’s happened this year.

“I’m certainly encouraged by how I’ve played the last two starts, especially last week in Scotland (he finished joint-second at the Scottish Open).”

McIlroy, who tees off at 3.10pm alongside Ryder Cup team-mate Tommy Fleetwood and American rival Justin Thomas in potentially the worst of the weather with thunderstorms forecast early evening, said of completing the Grand Slam: “I probably just didn’t give myself enough time to let it all sink in.

“I learned pretty quickly that one of my challenges, especially in a week like this, is controlling myself and controlling that battle.

“The battle on that (Masters) last day wasn’t with Augusta National, it wasn’t with Bryson (DeChambeau), it wasn’t with Justin