Rory McIlroy plays a shot from the fescue on Saturday at Royal County Down.
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Rory McIlroy left Northern Ireland many years ago when his otherworldly talent and promise propelled him into a full-time career as a golf professional. First, he lived in Dubaiplaying a lot on the European tour. Then came Florida, the landing spot for so many of the game’s best.
McIlroy is still a resident of Florida these days, now in his 17th year as a pro. He is building a house outside London, for those days when he is back in the UK. But this week, mentally and physically, he is far from those homes. He’s back home in Holywood, Northern Ireland – where it all started, driving an hour every day to the Irish Open.
“Usually when you’re at a tour site … you can hear people announcing the first tee and probably the first thing you do is check your phone and see how the guys started and check the leaderboard,” McIlroy said Friday. .
“Being an hour away, I’ve felt disconnected from the tournament this week, which has been quite a nice thing, and I haven’t been so wrapped up in it, which is nice. Probably the reason I got off to a good start, I would say.”
McIlroy started well in the Royal County Downwidely regarded as one of the best golf courses in the world and has continued to play well in his hometown. He was a few shots behind the lead when he gave that quote, and now 24 hours later he’s not behind anyone. He shot a two-under 69 on Saturday to reach six under and be the sole man atop the leaderboard. Naturally, this starts a long Saturday night of ominous thoughts, for him and everyone else:
What if he does it in Northern Ireland?
Golf pros have a tendency to ask these questions prospectively, and on a daily basis. Partly because the top players often hold press conferences after each round. Each 18 holes requires a new way of thinking about the same goal you had at the beginning of the week.
“It would be nice,” McIlroy said Saturday night. “I talked about it earlier in the week. You know, after the kind of year I’ve had and the narrow miss, it wouldn’t make up for all of it, but it would go a long way to give 2024 a nice shine.
“I can’t get too ahead of myself. I have to go out and play another very solid round tomorrow to try and get the job done. But I am satisfied with the first three days”.
McIlroy will say he can’t get ahead. But he knows what it’s like for his best golf to have an added layer of significance when it happens in a special place. It was inside again Northern Ireland in 2019at the Open at Royal Portrush, where McIlroy shot a second-round 65 in hot pursuit of the cut. When he finished outside, he was moved to tears by the support he received that day. Or even Open 2022 in St. Andrews in Scotland, when McIlroy was the undisputed crowd favorite on the Old Course. They chanted his name on the fairway after 54 holes, but after a 72, he was two shots short of a playoff. Once again it ended in tears.
This would be different, one would think. On Sunday, McIlroy will make the hour’s drive from his home to one of the best courses in the world once again, and he’ll be forced to wonder if that trophy will be riding shotgun on the trip. to home. Or if there will be to be a drive home. When is Scotland, Bob MacIntyre, won the Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in July, McIlroy was in the field but on his way across the country to Royal Troon. The crowd carried the Scottish national anthem throughout the night as Bobby Mac won it with a birdie on the 72nd hole.
Later, the night’s anthem became “I’d Walk 500 Miles,” by The Proclaimers, as MacIntyre and his family and friends went on a rampage into the wee hours of the morning, dousing the trophy with all manner of alcohol. His press conference scheduled for the next day was rightly postponed, because when you win the Open, everything on the calendar is put on hold.
Check back Sunday afternoon.
