Rory McIlroy admits The Open Championship was a tournament he circled at the start of this year – prioritising it even over The Masters which he won to complete a career Grand Slam – and is determined to banish the Portrush demons of 2019.

One of golf’s four majors, The Open would be amongst McIlroy’s priorities every year, but this one takes on extra significance with it representing his homecoming at a venue, where he broke the course record as a teenager, for the first time in six years.

McIlroy is undoubtedly the star attraction with hundreds following his opening practice round on Monday morning – he teed off at 7am, 12 hours after sealing a second-placed finish at the Scottish Open, and signed autographs for kids waiting to catch a glimpse of their hero.

Despite all the remarkable achievements throughout his career, McIlroy hasn’t tasted professional title success in Northern Ireland, and he feels his game is in a positive place after recent results.

placeholder image — A dejected Rory McIlroy on the 18th hole after an eight-over par opening round at the 2019 Open Championship. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

"I'm certainly encouraged by how I've played the last two starts, especially last week in Scotland,” he said. “I think the two weeks off after the Travelers just to reset, to get over here, a bit of a change of scenery has been really nice.

“When I was looking at the calendar for 2025, this was the tournament that was probably, I don't know, circled, even more so than the Masters for different reasons. It's lovely to be coming in here already with a major and everything else that's happened this year.

“I'm excited with where my game is. I felt like I showed some really good signs last week. I feel like I'm in a good spot and not that last week was a pure preparation week, but I definitely feel like it put me in a good spot heading into here.”

McIlroy began the 2019 Open – the first held in Northern Ireland since 1951 – with a quadruple-bogey on the first hole and finished that round on eight-over par, ultimately missing the cut by one stroke.

A large majority of the 278,000 spectators flocking to Royal Portrush will be hoping for a better outcome this time around and McIlroy has an inner drive to put the record straight.

"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 or what I was going to feel,” he reflected. “Then the golf on Thursday feels like a bit of a blur. I try to forget that part of it.

“I remember the run on Friday. I remember I was making a charge and making a run to try to make the cut, and I hit a six-iron into the 14th, second shot, and I remember the roar from the crowd.

"It was sort of getting a little dark and it was overcast, and for whatever reason, that's the one thing I remember is that shot and that roar of the crowd, and walking up to that green and getting a standing ovation. It was really special.

“I wish I had have been here for two more days to get a bit more of that and experience it. But hopefully I can change that this week.”