Rory McIlroy opens up on his struggles dealing with pressure on home soil ahead of Irish Open

Rory McIlroy talks to the media at Royal County Down Golf Club
-Credit: (Image: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)


Rory McIlroy is an Amgen Irish Open winner and the world's number three ranked golfer is the tournament favourite this week. But look, it's complicated. McIlroy is back on the stunning Royal County Down links that he used to make a bee-line for when he was young and carefree and playing with his pals.

"I'd say from Holywood, this is 50 minutes away, where maybe Portrush is like an hour and 15," he smiled. "So 25 minutes less in the car...I always gravitated towards here more than Portrush. I played Walker Cup here and have wonderful memories from that week. Played the Irish Open nine years ago - or half an Irish Open nine years ago!

"I've obviously played a little bit here and there since. I played nine holes Monday, nine holes today. I played it probably a little more than most in the field - but it's been a while."

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The 35-year-old is back among his own. He felt that support like never before when the Open Championship finally returned to Portrush in 2019. That phenomenal backing almost pushed him to a miraculous Friday cut-line recovery.

The day before, however, it left him a nervous wreck as he drove his first tee-shot out of bounds on his way to a 79 - some 18 shots worse than the course record he carded as a 16-year-old.

The last time he played RCD was before coronavirus > Covid. The Irish Open last came to picturesque Newcastle in 2015. McIlroy was the tournament host, attracting big names such as Sergio Garcia and Ernie Els. He missed the cut.

The support levels will be massive again when he gets his latest Irish Open bid underway this afternoon. The burning question is this, can the local boy come good this time?

"It's a bit of a double-edged sword," said McIlroy. "I get the buzz but I also feel the added pressure of trying to perform at home, something I've honestly struggled with in the past.

"You know, the couple of Irish Opens that I've played in Northern Ireland, the one Open Championship I played in Northern Ireland, haven't gone so well.

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"I usually just try to relax and go about my business as I would at any other time. It's great to play in front of them, but I have to manage my own little world around me to try to get the best out of myself as well."

McIlroy confesses that playing courses rather than creating them is his thing but he is a massive admirer of the natural swathes and hollows of RCD, the many shot options that this kind of track offers up.

"The best golf courses, I've sort of decided, are the ones that provide you as many options as possible," he said.

"There's a lot of golf courses that we play on Tour I don't think really do that. You have to play quite a one-dimensional game. To have a golf course like this that provides so many options is a real treat."

McIlroy will do his best to play his natural game, but it is a game that he has adapted to the PGA Tour target golf courses that he regularly plays.

He'll tee it up today alongside another Holywood prodigy in Tom McKibbin, and McIlroy has loved to watch the 21-year-old's journey to become a DP World Tour winner who now plays practice rounds with him at the majors.

"It's really cool to feel like I've had a tiny part in that journey in some way," he said. "I don't think he needs much advice from me, but if he ever does feel like he needs it, he always knows that I'm here, and

"I'm excited to play competitively with him these next couple of days. It will be a great atmosphere out there and I'm sure we'll both enjoy it."

Remembering that he was once like those kids queuing up for his signature on the putting green yesterday can also be a source of inspiration.

"I know it doesn't seem that long ago that I was one of those kids in that line trying to get an autograph at Mount Juliet or an Irish Open wherever it was back in 2003, 2004," he said.

"I know how much it meant to me to get Tiger's autograph or Ernie or Sergio or any of those guys.

"Yeah, I understand. It's hard to get to everyone but I try to make an effort, especially when I come back here. I don't get to play competitive golf very often back here. So I certainly appreciate the support that I get.

"To see so many youngsters out there, it's great to see. Try to make sure that they know that it's appreciated and hopefully I can, I guess, give them something to aspire towards in the future if golf is what they want to do."

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