'Home' win was priority for Rory

OPEN GOLF

- By CARL MARKHAM

RORY McIlroy may have begun another year with the ambition of completing a career Grand Slam but a return to his home Open at Royal Portrush was the one week he was really looking forward to.

The 36-year-old did duly end an 11-year wait to add a Masters green jacket to his collection, however, it was the thought of returning to the course where he shot 61 as a 16-year-old but badly let down himself - and the huge support he had - by failing to make the cut here in 2019 which had his attention.

He spoke about learning from that experience, having allowed emotion to get the better of him and promptly hitting his opening tee shot out of bounds, and appears to have emerged from his post-Masters comedown.