Rory Mcilroy had improved much on day two on the Open Championship, but the Noord -er knows that he needs something special to get back into battle on Saturday – something he did 20 years ago would certainly help
After his second round of the 153rd Open, Rory Mcilroy remembered his visit to Royal Portush two decades ago.
He told us: “I told Sky to Tim Barter that it was 20 years ago that I played the north of Ireland here, and never in my wildest dreams I thought I would come back as a Grand Slam champion with the support of a nation behind me, in an open championship to win.”
What McIlroy did not mention was that during that North of Ireland Championship as a 16-year-old, he shot a round of 61 that is still being discussed in wonderful tones in the clubhouse of this legendary course. Fast forward to 2025 and how McIlroy could do with one of that at the weekend.
And here is the exciting thing. In his post -round attitude and words, supported by elements of his second round 69, there were signs that he clearly believes that he will be low in the coming two days.
Yes, it is a considerable gap at the top of the rankings and really low scores are a premium on this setup.
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McIlroy explained why, saying: “It is one of these places where you know the holes you have to make to par, you know the holes you have to make to make Birdie, and everyone has to play the golf course in the same way. Everything is set properly.”
But then he called the possibility to have “one of those out-of-the-blue days” and nobody does outside the blue just like Rory. The key will of course be his performance of the tee.
When he almost sprayed out of the borders on the second hole – and had to take a penalty drop of an unspeakable lie, his ball was so deep in the Fescue – the omens were not good.
But it got better as the round went and while he started four of the 14 fairways, unlike two on Thursday, he is hardly anything to set up in lights, he was most accurate on the rear nine, which suggested that he had found the Tweak to solve his problem. And his bird on the par-5 12th was the template for what he has to do in rounds three and four.
A ride of more than 300 meters that split the Fairway and a towering center iron to 16 feet to set up an eagle attempt that shape the hole. It was trademark McIlroy and on another day – hopefully, moving day – those eagle putts will fall.
“I hit it a little more, so it was nice to have some look from the fairway in some of the greens,” McIlroy smiled.
And he will need much more from the Fairway on Saturday if he wants to put the leaders busy during the last two days. But in an attempt that brought him to three under the tournament, there were strong hints that his A-Game could occur soon.
The quality and quantity of players for him has a chance to win a formidable challenge, but if someone has the tools to take on that challenge, it is McIlroy.
As this golf course came to know for most of us.
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