Will Rory McIlroy win The Open 2025? Fans from around the world give their predictions at Royal Portrush
Local hero Rory McIlroy hoisting aloft his second Claret Jug at a packed Royal Portrush, marking a first professional triumph on Northern Irish soil, would undoubtedly be the perfect ending to The Open Championship this weekend – but just how likely is that outcome?
Almost every prediction article from informed golf pundits has McIlroy amongst the top contenders while bookmakers believe Scottie Scheffler, the American who sits atop the world rankings, is the sole player with a better chance.
It’s that expectation which adds an extra element to this week’s Open for 278,000 spectators attending across the duration of Northern Ireland’s biggest-ever sporting event, many of whom are hoping for a magical McIlroy masterclass.
Fans have travelled from around the globe to get a taste of The Open Championship, which has returned to these shores for only the third time in history, and also experience the picturesque Portrush course which is often hailed as one of the world’s best.
Christopher Lane has made the 12,000-mile trip to the north coast from New Zealand, celebrating his 60th birthday with a friend based in Bangor, and he hopes McIlroy can produce a better performance than when he missed the cut in 2019.
"Rory has been amazing to watch and when people doubted his ability to win The Masters he showed his true class,” he said. “But the pressure will be huge...I hope he does great and enjoys it much better than last time.
“My money is on Jon Rahm - he loves these courses and won well at Portstewart at the 2017 Irish Open, so that’s where my thinking is.”
Paul Rodway, who is from Northwich in England, met McIlroy upon his last trip to Northern Ireland for the Irish Open at Royal County Down and with his in-laws living in Ballynahinch, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see him in the flesh once again.
He’s hoping the world number two can find his top form on a course where he set the record aged 16 in 2005, but believes the unpredictability of links golf makes it almost impossible to predict a winner.
"I think he’ll be in the top-five, but there always seems to be someone different in recent years who has a magical four days,” he said. “He’ll be right up there and the support he received last time was second-to-none. My fingers are crossed for him!”
Jim Quigley is amongst the seemingly thousands who have travelled from America – you don’t have to walk the course for long before hearing the accent – and alongside playing a number of Northern Ireland’s iconic courses, he’s also here to cheer on his fellow countrymen.
Three of the last four Open winners, including reigning champion Xander Schauffele, have hailed from the States and while most will be hoping for a positive McIlroy result, Rhode Island native Quigley isn’t one.
"I will say that I'm not a Rory fan, I'm more of a Shane Lowry fan, although I'd like for an American to win,” he said. “I also like following the lesser known players...I'll pick one from the programme and follow them for nine holes this week – I like seeing how they handle the pressure.”
After speaking openly about motivational struggles following his Masters triumph – an achievement he described as “scaling my Everest” – many wondered if McIlroy would rediscover peak form in time for Portrush, but a tied-second finish at last week’s Scottish Open suggests he’s back to at least somewhere near his best.
An intangible is the pressure on McIlroy’s shoulders which comes with playing at home – a mixture of his own desire to perform and fan expectation – and Jonathan Lee, who grew up in Portstewart and is back for The Open, hopes it doesn’t derail his tournament.
"I really hope Rory plays well,” he said. “He certainly has form there with his 61 here as a 16-year-old. I just hope the pressures of a home Open aren’t too much.”
McIlroy is the name on everybody’s lips and minds at Royal Portrush on Wednesday as he gets in his final practice session ahead of teeing off at 3:10pm alongside Justin Thomas and Tommy Fleetwood on Thursday afternoon.
While experts and fans have all had their say on McIlroy’s chances, how does the man himself feel?
“It's been an amazing year,” said McIlroy. “The fact that I'm here at Portrush with the green jacket, having completed that lifelong dream, I want to do my best this week to enjoy everything that comes my way and enjoy the reaction of the fans and enjoy being in front of them and playing in front of them.
“But at the same time, I want to win this golf tournament, and I feel like I'm very capable of doing that.”