The Open: Rory McIlroy Got 'Everything' Out Of Portrush Return Except Claret Jug

Rory McIlroy believes he got everything he could have wished for out of his return to Royal Portrush for The Open, other than a second Claret Jug.

The Northern Irishman, an Open champion in 2014, got a raucous reception at a course located just over 60 miles from his hometown of Holywood, County Down.

McIlroy had previously had a nightmare experience at Portrush for the 2019 Open, when he missed the cut after shooting an opening round of 79 – including a quadruple bogey on the first hole.

McIlroy enjoyed a far better return this time around, finishing tied for seventh at 10 under, seven shots back of runaway winner Scottie Scheffler.

And while admitting Scheffler was a cut above the rest of the field, McIlroy reflected on a job well done at his post-tournament press conference.

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

"I've gotten everything I wanted out of this week apart from a Claret Jug, and that's just because one person was just a little bit better than the rest of us.

"It's been an amazing week. I feel so thankful and just so lucky that I get to do this, I get to do this in front of this crowd."

McIlroy, who became the first European golfer to win a career grand slam with his triumph at the Masters in April, is hopeful he will get to play The Open in his home country again.

He said: "Hopefully I'll have one or two Opens left here, if the R&A decide to keep coming back, probably one while I'm still competitive and another one while I'm more grey than I already am!

"It's just been incredible to come back here and to play and at least feel like I had a chance today. It's just been an awesome week.

"Honestly, I think Portrush has quickly turned into one of the best two or three venues that The Open goes to. Talk to every player this week, and they won't say one single bad thing about the golf course.

"It's only been six years since 2019. I'm not sure Portrush is going to have The Open every six years, that would be nice, but I would obviously love it to keep coming back."

Trailing Scheffler by six on Sunday, McIlroy had an outside chance of making things competitive, only for a run of two pars and a double bogey to stifle his momentum.

"I'm not going to try even harder here. If anything, that's probably to my detriment. I felt like I did well. Eight, nine and 10 today were the ones that killed me," he said.

"But I was never going to get to 17-under, I don't think. I could have maybe finished second, which would have been better than where I did finish. 

"But only making par off those tee shots on eight and nine and then the double off of 10 after the flier, that did me in. Then I just tried to play a good back nine and finish as well as I could."

McIlroy was tied with Robert MacIntyre and 2024 Open champion Xander Schauffele, one shot behind Haotong Li, Matt Fitzpatrick and Wyndham Clark.