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RORY MCILROY stood on the first tee in 2019 at Royal Portrush as the course record-holder with his home nation watching and waiting.

- BY CHRIS MCKENNA

It should have been a moment to dream of and remember forever but it turned into a nightmare.

Mcllroy shot a 61 on this track as a 16-year-old prodigy but here he was back as a four-time Major champion at 30 looking to win the Claret Jug in his homeland.

Yet when his tee shot which started as a slight draw turned into a nasty hook thanks to the high winds and sailed out of bounds, he would never recover.