What Rory McIlroy did at Royal Portrush back when he was just 16 years old should scare the rest of his big rivals

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All eyes in the golfing world are on Rory McIlroy right now.

After winning The Masters earlier this month, McIlroy ensured that he will be a permanent feature in the history books by completing the Grand Slam.

The 35-year-old undoubtedly got the monkey off his back with his win at Augusta National.

And McIlroy is now expected to be freed up heading into the final three majors of the 2025 season.

However, let’s say he was to win The PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and The US Open at Oakmont.

The pressure on his shoulders heading into The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland would be palpable.

McIlroy may well find that winning The Open in his home country is just too difficult, considering the weight of expectation that will be on his shoulders.

However, the Masters champion crucially has something very important indeed in his favour heading into the 153rd Open.

What Rory McIlroy did at Royal Portrush when he was 16 should scare his rivals

McIlroy has played Royal Portrush more than anyone else who will be in the field at The Open in July by a long way, aside from maybe Darren Clarke.

He knows the course and the layout like the back of his hand.

Whilst the pressure on him to win The Open in his home country might make his task of doing so nearly impossible, something that he said 15 years ago should really concern his rivals.

Back in 2010 after McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow, he spoke to the media following his staggering final round of 10-under par 62:

“It’s ridiculous. I felt like this before. I shot 61 at Portrush when I was 16 in the North of Ireland and I felt pretty similar out there today. I was just seeing my shots and hitting them and seeing the lines of putts really well and everything was going well. It was one of those days where everything went right.

“I suppose I got into a zone and I didn’t realise I was going eight, nine, ten under par. I just knew I had got my nose in front and I was just trying to stay there.“

61 at Royal Portrush is a truly incredible score. However, Shane Lowry now holds the course record there with a worse score than what McIlroy shot – an eight-under par 63.

The reason for that is because the layout at Portrush has been altered since McIlroy flew around there in 11-under par on what at the time was a par 72.

If you’re Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau or Justin Thomas and you see those comments from McIlroy back in 2010, you would surely be concerned at what the Northern Irishman is capable of doing at the same course in July.

Why McIlroy is best placed to be the first to win calendar year Grand Slam

Without being hyperbolic, McIlroy is more than capable of winning the remaining three majors of the season.

His record at Quail Hollow is second to none, and he has won multiple times there.

Meanwhile, Oakmont is a golf course that favours long and straight drivers of the golf ball. Is there anyone better in world golf at doing just that than McIlroy? The simple answer to that question is no.

The five-time major champ has been hitting it longer and straighter than anyone else on the PGA Tour this season.

It’s no surprise that he’s sitting in 1st position in the strokes gained off the tee rankings.

McIlroy has the game to not only compete at The PGA and The US Open, but to actually run away with victories at Quail Hollow and Oakmont.

And if he does that, his rivals had better watch out in July, given his track record at Royal Portush.