CNN
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Her hands were clenched to her head, her knees held onto the emerald grass, her chest twitching with enthusiastic, tattered breathing, Rory McIlroy looked like a man conquered by the weight of the world. He then set himself upright, lifting his head into the sky, unleashing the primitive, fist-spewing roar echoing with the seemingly indomitable release of burden.
The image of McIlroy, who won the Masters, finally captured a white whale after a grieving 17 years of chase.
Looking in tears as he discussed the prospect of returning to his Northern Ireland home and celebrating with his parents, the raw strength of McIlroy’s body language was a fitting reflection of the summit he just expanded. The victory pushed tickets for entry to the club of the sport’s most illustrious members as the sixth male golfer to complete career grand slams in all four majors.
But McIlroy cannot stir up the soul. Far from then, Green Jacket’s latest recipient believes that winning the Open Championship in Home Turf at Royal Portrush Cam could put a tribute to realizing that “lifetime dream” three months ago.
“I think it’s just as emotional to do it, if not more emotional than what I did at Augusta…and everyone saw the confusion that followed,” the 36-year-old told BBC Sports on Monday.
“Victory has a chance to resonate with greater and longer.”
He was born and raised about 60 miles (96 kilometers) away in Hollywood. This is a small town of small people, just 15 minutes’ drive from the hub shop in the capital Belfast, and was always guaranteed to receive the welcome of heroes in the 153rd edition of this week’s Major.
However, the magnitude of his spring success only ratcheted the enthusiasm of Antrim’s north coast, allowing him to see the best take on the game’s test dungle link course, hoping that as many as 290,000 spectators would bite the rain and heavy coastal winds.
Just 12 hours after finishing joint runner-up at North Berwick’s Scotland Open on Sunday, even the world’s second-placed number one shrugged four hours of sleep to become one of the first golfers of Monday’s practice round, but fans continued in large numbers.
Many paid back their dedication when the five-time major champions wrote their signs and closed the session.
“I am very grateful and grateful for the support I get from home. They really make me feel that,” McIlroy added.
“It’s a great feeling to play and experience it before it. I want to embrace that this week.”
Long before he won the crown at Augusta, the depth of national pride of the winners of the 29 PGA Tour, who framed a strong case to claim the title of Northern Ireland’s all-time sportsperson, explains how to explain how to explain how to explain why victory at the Royal Portrush is more emotional than his Masters title.
Golf Digest senior writer Joel Beal believes that home majors could surpass everything, as he already unlocked the claret jug at Royal Liverpool in 2014 and completed the set 11 years later.
“The master will always be more important because of the meaning of him as a player,” Beall told CNN Sports.
“He had so many disappointments there, and it was in the way of the Grand Slams. But on a personal level, to do this in his childhood backyard, there’s a chance that victory will resonate more than Augusta.”
The emotional stakes are also raised by the fact that McIlroy has the psychological scar tissue of Royal Portrush, as he did in Augusta.
It started very well. Just 16 years old, McIlroy integrated his reputation as a burgeoning golf genius when he rounded up the Dunluce Link with a 61-under-61 course record at the 2005 Northern Ireland Championship.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry holds the highest score of his present-day history after filming 63 to open a victory in 2019 after a massive renovation to the course earlier that year, but McIlroy’s teenage achievements endure as a key chapter in his legendary career.
But when longtime friend Laurie began to glory, McIlroy didn’t even make the weekend with the Major’s long-awaited return to venue. After seeing decades of sectarian violence known as “Trouble” beefed away from Northern Ireland, McIlroy was a centre of attention as Royal Portrush played the host for the first time since 1951, but he only saw his tournament go off the rails instantly by the opening Kuadorpur bogie-eight.
After a triple bogey in the closing, the Homestar signed off for 8 over 79, and even a great 6 under 65 wasn’t enough to cut.
He was caught off guard by an ovation he received on his first tee six years ago, and the five-time major champion believes he is ready to not only deal with the worship from behind the ropes, but also accept it.
“I was still a little surprised and a little surprised, ‘Geez, these people really want to beat me,'” McIlroy recalled to a reporter Monday.
“It brings pressure like its own, brings more internally from it, and I don’t want to disappoint people. I quickly learned that one of my challenges is to control myself and control that fight, especially in a week like this.
“I probably tried to isolate myself, but I think it would be good for everyone if I accept that,” McIlroy added later. “I am happy to be able to accept the admiration despite the struggles I sometimes struggle, but it is also great for those who have met you for the first time in years.
How much inspiration McIlroy can extract from these interactions could be key to his hopes this week, Beall said.
“Rory now realizes that what he’s doing is a community experience,” he told CNN Sports. “Using that energy and making it an asset instead of weight will be a way to decide how he does it.”
The two-shot behind American Chris Gottap, second-placed McIlroy, who came in second in Scotland on Sunday, hinted at a timely return to his best play after being a slump in form by his golden standard.
Slam Capture has sparked predictions that Pebble Beach Pro-Am and already won the Player Championship in the surge-up start this year, “Shackle-Off” McIlroy could pave the way for multiple major seasons.
However, following his 47th finish at the PGA Championship, he was followed by a 19th tied exit at the US Open, pinned by a cut that was missed at the Canadian Open. McIlroy admitted on Monday that reset his goals after Mashter’s euphoria was a struggle.
“Yes, I’ll talk about the pressure being off, but whoever sits here at this table, we’re all competitors, and we all want to do better.
“I probably didn’t give myself enough time to sink it all. But that’s the nature of professional golf. They do a very good job of keeping you on the hamster wheel.
With little issues with the Ryder Cup at Beth Page Black in New York not yet coming in late September, there is plenty of opportunity for McIlroy to write more history in 2025.
“I feel like there’s still a lot left there,” he said. “The story certainly isn’t over.”
