British Open
He is a four-time major champion and No. 3 in the world, and Royal Portrush is where he came of age in golf. It’s where his father brought him for his 10th birthday, when he met Clarke for the first time. It’s where he first delivered on his potential at 16 when he shot a courserecord 61 in the North of Ireland Amateur.
“Portrush has been a very big – at least the golf club – part of my upbringing,” McIlroy said. “It’s sort of surreal that it’s here.”
Just another Open?
It was the first time in 159 years of the British Open that tickets had to be purchased in advance, including two practice rounds. That brings the attendance total for the week to 237,500, second only to the Old Course at St. Andrews.
“I can’t just put the blinkers on and pretend that’s not all going on,” McIlroy said. “One of my mantras this week is look around and smell the roses. This is a wonderful thing for this country and golf in general. And to be quite a big part of it is an honor and a privilege. And I want to keep reminding myself that this is bigger than me. And I think if you can look at the bigger picture, it sort of takes a little bit of the pressure off.
“I still want to play well and concentrate and do all the right things,” he said. “But at the same time, just having that perspective might make me relax a little bit more.”
A steady rain slowed the final day of practice, along with a stronger wind that gives this course its best defense.
McIlroy and Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Cantlay, McDowell and others were among those who took in a rare, late afternoon round for being the eve of the Open.
Woods was a late afternoon arrival on the range, hoping to sharpen a swing in only his fourth tournament since he won the Masters. Before long, the rain returned.
“It’s not quite as sharp as I’d like to have it right now,” Woods said Tuesday. “My touch around the greens is right where I need to have it. I still need to get the shape of the golf ball a little bit better than I am right now, especially with the weather coming in and winds are going to be changing.”
The R&A awarded Clarke the honor of starting off the British Open. Clarke, McDowell and McIlroy are in the early half of the draw; Woods, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson are among the late starters. It promises to be quite a show.
“I’ve never seen the town look so great,” McDowell said. “Just the buzz from the people this week, it’s been amazing the last few days.”