Rory McIlroy Finds Redemption at Royal Portrush

Six years after his nightmare missed cut on this same course, McIlroy found the redemption he desperately sought.

The 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush was supposed to be McIlroy's coronation. Instead, it became a cautionary tale about pressure and expectations. His opening tee shot sailed out of bounds, leading to a crushing 79 and an early exit that left both McIlroy and his homeland heartbroken.

This time felt different from the moment he stepped onto the first tee.

McIlroy finished tied for seventh at 10-under, never seriously threatening Scottie Scheffler's wire-to-wire victory. But for the 2025 Masters champion, this week was about more than leaderboard position. It was about making peace with a place that had haunted him.

"I've gotten everything I wanted out of this week apart from a claret jug," McIlroy said after his final-round 69.

The difference between 2019 and 2025 was stark. Where once McIlroy crumbled under the weight of expectation, this time he embraced the moment. After winning the Masters in April, McIlroy had promised himself to savor these experiences — both for himself and the thousands of Northern Ireland natives who had waited years to see their hero contend at home.

Saturday's third-round 66 provided the weekend's most electric moments. Ropelines ran dozens deep as McIlroy mounted his charge, the crowd following his every move with religious devotion. That eagle on 12 — a moment McIlroy called one of the coolest of his career — perfectly captured the magic of the week.

Even when McIlroy's title hopes effectively ended with a double bogey on Sunday's 10th hole, the crowd never wavered. Walking up the 18th fairway, the entire gallery rose for a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. It was one of only two times fans got to their feet on Sunday — first for McIlroy, then again as Scheffler claimed the championship.

"I tried as best as I could to keep my emotions in check, especially walking up the last there and that reception," McIlroy said. "It's been an awesome week."

The cathartic, joyous weekend was everything 2019 wasn't. Where that tournament left scars, this one provided healing. McIlroy lingered on the 18th green afterward, soaking in the adulation — something the typically reserved champion doesn't usually do.

For McIlroy, who already completed the career Grand Slam with his Masters victory this spring, Royal Portrush represented something more personal than another major championship. It was about giving his people the weekend they deserved.

"Hopefully I'll have one or two Opens left here, if The R&A decide to keep coming back," McIlroy said. "Probably one while I'm still competitive and another one while I'm more gray than I already am."

Whenever The Open returns to Royal Portrush, McIlroy will be ready — not as the weight-of-the-world favorite, but as Northern Ireland's adopted son who learned that sometimes the greatest victories happen without lifting a trophy.