The 153rd Open Championship heads to Royal Portrush in 2025 – when the headlines will be all about Rory McIlroy.
That is because the hometown hero is responsible for both the best and the worst collective memories associated with the iconic Dunluce Links.
McIlroy broke the course record as a 16-year-old, meaning that when the oldest major returned to Northern Ireland for the first time in 68 years, he was expected to deliver a fairytale.
However, McIlroy’s 2019 Open was more like a horror story.
With all the hype surrounding him, the Ulsterman began his opening round by equalling the worst score on a single hole in his professional golf career.
Walking to the second tee, McIlroy had already hooked a tee shot out of bounds, smashed a spectator’s phone screen, taken a drop from an unplayable lie, and recorded a quad-bogey eight.
More nightmares on 16 and 18 would see the four-time major winner sign his card for an eight-over-par 79, all-but ending his championship before it even started.
“I want to punch myself,” McIlroy said afterwards, knowing he needed a miracle just to make the cut at one of the most important events of his life.
But, being among the most talented players golf has ever seen, McIlroy had the capacity to deliver it – and so nearly did.
A stunning charge on Friday saw him shoot an outrageous round of 65, captivating an electrified crowd who suddenly dared to dream.
At one point, McIlroy just needed to birdie one of the remaining two holes to make the cut.
Sadly, he fell short by one shot.
McIlroy is one of the most popular players in golf because he wears his heart on his sleeve.
Some have even argued these things mean a little too much to him – and his performance at Portrush in 2019 has a lot to do with that.
It perfectly summarised a man who has been beaten up by the game of golf over the last decade, somehow failing to add to his major tally despite being the most talented player around.
But it also captured the essence of a man who will never stop trying.
And rather than leaving Portrush with his reputation in tatters after Thursday’s shocking scenes, he gave those in attendance something they will never forget on Friday.
Immediately after his second round finished, McIlroy refused to shy away from the cameras, and gave a teary interview live on TV.
“Part of me is very disappointed not to be here for the weekend,” he said, pausing to contain his emotions.
“Part of me disappointed, emotional. But I am happy how I played.
“The support I got out there was incredible. And you could see on that back nine, if I had got some of that momentum yesterday…
“I went with it today, and that’s what I was planning to do all week. Yesterday gave me a mountain to climb, but I dug in there and showed really good resilience.”
With his voice cracking for a second time, McIlroy added: “It’s going to hurt for a little bit, but I guess the good thing about golf is that I have a tournament in Memphis next week which I will have to turn my attention to.
“But this is a week I had been looking forward to for a long time. I didn’t play my part this week but everyone in Northern Ireland that came out to watch me definitely played their part.”
Tim Barter, the veteran broadcaster asking the questions, then admitted he was also close to tears.
“You definitely played your part,” Barter said with a tremmoring voice.
“We’re both going to go here, this is going to be difficult.”
McIlroy’s close friend Shane Lowry ended up delivering the fairytale victory for Ireland that week.
Reflecting on McIlroy’s early exit, Paul McGinley perfectly described the bewildering paradox when he said: “He is the brightest kid in the class who has a tenancy to daydream.”
As The Open returns to Portrush in July, golf fans are still daydreaming about round two McIlroy, and hoping round one never repeats itself.
