Open Championship: Rory McIlroy Struggles Amid Local Hero ‘Added Pressure’

Rory McIlroy didn’t get off to the start he would have liked in the Open Championship. The Holywood, County Down native is playing as the local hero and went through the first 10 holes in spectacular fashion, but the back nine proved to be too challenging and he couldn’t keep up.

McIlroy opened the round with a bogey on the first hole, but responded with a birdie on the second. His game only improved from then on, carding three more bogey-free birdies over the next eight holes.

The five-time major champion reached the 11th hole at 3-under, just one stroke behind the leaders. However, his luck changed dramatically from that point on, and he played the next four holes at 3-over (three bogeys), hitting just one fairway and missing three putts inside 11 feet in that stretch.

McIlroy recovered like a champion and finished the round playing the last four holes with a bogey-free birdie, for an 18-hole score of 1-under.

Overall, McIlroy performed above average in every aspect of his game, except for driving, which was his mantra throughout the round. He hit only two fairways and lost 1.02 strokes off the tee.

The issue is even more relevant considering the Northern Irishman is one of the world’s leading drivers.

Rory McIlroy Felt the “Added Pressure” of Playing on Home Soil

Naturally, McIlroy’s presence at Royal Portrush drew massive crowds to watch his performance. Let’s recall that the Northern Irishman is not only one of the best players in the world, but this is his first official start in his homeland after completing the Career Grand Slam.

“Absolutely incredible,” he told reporters during his post-round interview. “Look, I feel the support of an entire country out there, which is a wonderful position to be in, but at the same time, you don’t want to let them down. So there’s that little bit of added pressure.”

McIlroy went through a similar situation the last time Royal Portrush hosted the Open in 2019. On that occasion, the 29-time PGA Tour winner missed the cut with rounds of 79 and 65.

“I felt like I dealt with it really well (Thursday). Certainly dealt with it better than I did six years ago,” McIlroy said, according to a transcript.

He also noted that he’s not out of it at all, adding via reporters, “I was just happy to get off to a good start and get myself into the tournament. …Only three back with 54 holes to go, I’m really happy with where I am.”

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