Bookmark this play if Rory McIlroy is in the mix this weekend for the claret jug. McIlroy overcame a shaky driver to turn in a one-under 70 Thursday at Royal Portrush and opened his second round with a birdie.

Scottie Scheffler was the pre-tournament favorite entering the 2025 Open Championship, but Rory McIlroy was the big story as he looked to put the heartbreak from 2019 in the past and capture the Claret Jug in his home country of Northern Ireland.

Just as a certain Northern Irishman’s golf ball flew left, but not too far left, and safely settled in the rough, the sun peeked ou

If we were feeling especially dramatic, that might be the way we'd describe the scene on the first tee Thursday afternoon at around 3:10 p.m. British Standard Time, when Rory McIlroy hit what can be reasonably described as the most anticipated first tee shot of 2025.

Rory McIlroy shot 1-under 70 in the first round of the British Open at Royal Portrush that is also serving as a homecoming for the Northern Irish star.

Rory McIlroy shares his excitement about making the cut at the Open Championship in his home country after missing the cut six years ago.