McIlroy returns to Portrush as Schauffele defends Open crown

A raucous reception will greet Rory McIlroy as the British Open returns to Royal Portrush and Northern Ireland on Thursday for the first time since Shane Lowry’s 2019 triumph.

- Agencies

McIlroy will be heralded by an expected crowd of 200,000 across the four days after ending his ll-year wait to complete the career Grand Slam at the Masters in April.

But a long list of contenders, including world number one Scottie Scheffler and reigning champion Xander Schauffele, stand between the hometown hero and a second Claret Jug.

"When I was looking at the calendar for 2025, this was the tournament that was probably circled even more so than the Masters for different reasons," he told reporters after a practice round on Monday.