Rory McIlroy goes into the weekend of The Open Championship with a genuine chance of winning a second Claret Jug after two very decent rounds at Royal Portrush.
There was nothing like the drama which came with Rory McIlroy‘s ill-fated quest to win The Open Championship on home soil in 2019 over the first two days this week. McIlroy failed to make the cut six years ago after a nightmare first round put paid to his hopes of glory.
He has got plenty of work to do, but McIlroy is definitely in the mix. Rounds of 70 and 69 leave the 36-year-old at three under par for the tournament.
It seems to be another step in the right direction for McIlroy, who finished in the top 10 at both Travelers Championship and the Genesis Scottish Open leading into the final major of the year.
Rory McIlroy explains why the greens at Royal Portrush are unique
Interestingly, McIlroy’s driving has not been the strongest part of his game this week. He has putted well, and he has also produced some impressive shots around the green.
It was put to McIlroy by Sky Sports that his chipping is actually one of the most underrated parts of his game, and he went on to speak about the challenge of navigating the putting surfaces this week.
“Yeah, I think it probably is [underrated]. I feel like I am pretty good around the greens. You have to be so creative, you have to play a lot of different shots on these greens,” he said.
“It’s funny here at Portrush. I have never experienced a set of links greens like it because of how slopey they are. Usually links greens are quite flat for the most part, so you have to be a bit creative and play some different shots and that is something I feel like I am pretty good at.”
Rory McIlroy reflects on a much better week at Royal Portrush at this year’s Open Championship
It has been a much happier and fulfilling experience for McIlroy, it seems, this time around. It appeared that the size of the occasion may have got to him in 2019, with Royal Portrush not hosting The Open for almost 70 years.
Obviously, The Masters felt like the icing on the cake in what has been a legendary career. However, victory this week would perhaps be the cherry on top of the icing, as McIlroy suggested.
“It’s been an unbelievable journey. Not in my wildest dreams did I think this is the way my life was going to pan out. I had dreams and visions of being a professional golfer and trying to win tournaments, but to play in an Open Championship here and to honestly feel like you have the support of the entire nation behind you, I feel very lucky and grateful and I’m excited for the opportunity over the next two days,” he said.
It may take something special to put McIlroy right in the mix. But there is no question that very few players in the field can compete with him when the five-time major champion is in full flight.
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