They might be two of the biggest names ever in sport, but both Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods had stinking weekends at The Open this week at Royal Troon.
Both McIlroy and Woods failed to make the cut as they were among a cluster of big names to not make it into the weekend in Scotland.
In the end, Xander Schauffele won out in impressive fashion as he beat Justin Rose and Billy Horschel to the punch.
Of course, with the end of major season, a lot of golf fans and some golfers will turn their attention to the majors in 2025.
For McIlroy, it will be year 11 without winning one, while Woods will simply hope to be in better shape to compete and make cuts.
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The Open 2025 is taking place at another classic course in the UK over at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
And looking at past comments, Portrush is very much a course that meets the approval of both McIlroy and Woods ahead of next year.
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy both approve of Royal Portrush ahead of the 2025 Open
For McIlroy, winning one home turf will be a special feeling as he goes in search of what he probably hopes will be major number six or seven by the time it rolls around.
And in an article published by TalkSPORT, McIlroy has previously admitted his fondness for the course.
“I’m a little biased but definitely one of the top few courses in the world,” McIlroy said a decade back.
While for Woods, who has played everywhere, the appreciation of Royal Portrush was shared.
“It’s an unbelievable golf course,” Woods said ahead of the 2019 Open.
“It’s amazing that (The Open) hasn’t been here in such a long period of time. This is just a wonderful golf course,” Woods commented back in 2019.
“It can play so many different ways. It depends on the wind, what it does.
“Some of the bunkers here, you wonder why in the hell is it there. And then a switch in wind and all of a sudden it’s in play.”
It seems, then, that Portrush could well offer up a challenge much like we saw at Royal Troon this week.
The conditions were a massive factor, as the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Dustin Johnson both referenced the difficulty in play.
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