It’s all mental for McIlroy as he prepares to embrace emotions at Royal Portrush

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland speaks to the media during a press conference prior to The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 14, 2025 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy admits he must “embrace” the outpouring of emotion from his home support and learn the lesson from his missed cut in 2019 if he’s to win The Open at Royal Portrush.

The Co Down man famously ran up a quadruple bogey eight when he drove out of bounds at the opening hole six years ago.

He admitted he was emotionally unprepared for the massive ovation he received and how he had tried to “isolate” himself from the home crowd.

But after winning the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam in April, he knows he must tap into that energy for his “homecoming” this week so that he’s mentally ready for those feelings.

“I think in ’19, I probably tried to isolate and I think it's better for everyone if I embrace it,” the world number two said after playing the back nine in practice.

“It's better for me because it's nice to be able to accept that adulation, even though I struggle with it at time.

“But it's also nice to the person that is seeing you for the first time in a few years. So it just makes for better interaction.  

“I'm not trying to hide away from it. I think it's more of an embrace everything that's going to come my way this week, and not try to shy away from it or hide away from it.  

“And I think that'll be for a better experience for everyone involved.”

After finishing tied second in the Scottish Open on Sunday, McIlroy spoke oif being “encouraged”, “excited” and “in a good spot” with his game as he bids to claim his second Claret Jug and sixth major,

“I'm excited for my game,” he said. “I felt like I showed some really good signs last week, and feel like I'm in a good spot.”

He spoke after the US Open at Oakmont about his Friday charge to make the cut in 2019 and how unprepared he felt emotionally.

“I remember I hit a shot into 12 or 13 Friday night obviously trying to make the cut,” he said last month.  

“I remember the roar I got when the ball hit the green, and I felt like I was about to burst into tears. Just that support and that love from your own people.

"So I was unprepared for that. I need to just get myself in the right frame of mind to feel those feelings again.”
He appears to have made that leap in the weeks now, having learned at the Masters that it’s his emotions that are a bigger challenge than the golf course.

“The walk to the first tee and then that ovation, I was just a little surprised and taken aback, like, these people really want me to win,” McIlroy recalled of 2019.

“I think that brought its own sort of pressure, more internally from myself and not really want to let people down

“I guess it's just something I didn't mentally prepare for that day or that week. But I learned pretty quickly that one of my challenges, especially in a week like this, is, is controlling myself and controlling that battle.  

“I talked about it at the Masters. The battle on that last day wasn't with Augusta National. It wasn't with Bryson, it wasn't with Justin Rose. The battle that day was with myself.

“I think whenever you get in environments like that, that's basically what it is — you’re trying to overcome your mind and trying to give yourself that clarity. to give yourself the best chance to put together a really good performance.”