RORY MCILROY IS relishing the prospect of competing for The Open championship title in the ‘spectacular’ surroundings of Royal Portrush.
The four-time Major winner, who shot a course-record 61 there at the age of 16, will be the home favourite at the links in Northern Ireland, which he says has improved significantly since his younger days.
And the 30-year-old is excited to launch his bid for a second Claret Jug next week, having triumphed in the world’s oldest Major in 2014.
“It’s spectacular, it’s unbelievable. It’s certainly a different golf course than the golf course I grew up playing,” McIlroy told The Belfast Telegraph.
“It’s bigger, it’s tougher and obviously all the infrastructure out there.
“I’ve been looking at pictures posted on social media and the place looked stunning, but to get out here and experience it has really been worthwhile.”
McIlroy is one of his country’s most famous exports and he recognises that his exploits, alongside those of Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Pádraig Harrington, have played a role in bringing The Open to Portrush for the first time since 1951.
“I’m proud to feel as if I’ve played some small part in getting The Open to Northern Ireland,” he said.
“The success of Darren, Graeme, myself and Pádraig as well was part of the reason why the R&A wanted to come here, and also the work done by the [club general manager] Wilma Erskine and the people of Portrush.
“There’s a lot of people that can be proud of themselves that The Open is at Royal Portrush.”
Meanwhile, the R&A have today extended their broadcasting partnership with Sky Sports for a further three years. As part of the new agreement, Sky Sports will continue to show live coverage of The Open through to 2024.
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Katie has it all. Passion for the sport, amazing skill and loyalty to those who helped get her to the top. It’s admirable. You’re the best Katie!!!!
Don’t forget the God bothering.
Um, what? Pele, Maradona or even Zidane would like a word…. and Thierry Henri brought all that contempt upon his own head by demonstrably and publicly cheating, while wearing the colours of his nation, then treating such contempt as naïveté. Even French sports fans were unhappy with his conduct. It was disgraceful then, and remains disgraceful now. Why do you think his endorsements dried up? Now he will play out his career playing for New York. Sad.
shes religious, so what? people have a right to their beliefs as long as they dont force it on others, im not religious but i dont have the right to attack somebody elses religon or force my own views on them where theres no harm!
I should add that I am not against Katie talking about how god helped her, I think it’s great that she has such faith and it’s what gets her through. What I am against is people like mairead trolling this site and trying to force religion down peoples throats!
Oh and on a note actually related to this headline here’s hoping that Zaur stays with the Irish boxers because by all accounts they owe much of their success to him!
Agree 100% with that. I think mairead us just looking for a reaction to be honest
I would be worried about Katie Taylor turning professional, will she still have her dad at her side? & can she still wear the helmet? Or will she be beaten to a pulp? What protection is there in professional boxing?
ah will ye cop on….whatever she does she is a national hero…fair play to her,,,
That was a fair point Cian, where is the need to cop on with her comment? I agree Susan I’d worry that we’d run away with the wins so far, small timely dedicated steps needed to continue her success.
The only protective gear carried to pro boxing is the mouthpiece, as far as I know. But a big difference between the two levels is that while Am-boxing has one worldwide governing body, pro-boxing does not and the rules can therefore differ from organisation to organisation. As regards being beaten up, there is definitely a different emphasis on impact boxing in the pro level. In amatuer, points are given on technique and landing a hit – the actual force involved is irrelevant. At pro level, more points are awarded for the impact a blow has (eg, a knockout or knockdown), and the ref really only intervenes for actual fouls (not technique issues). A lot of boxers have a hard time of it when they first move up to pro.
@ryan… she is a boxer not a professional tiddlywinks player of course she will be hurt hence my comment to “cop on”
Monsieur Troll DuVal you speak for yourself & not France !
Bravo Katie :-)
Andrezj why exactly are you in Ireland if Poland is so great??
We should reward the coaches in boxing with good new contracts. We usually only reward failure on this country, why not reward success for a change.
Katie Taylor is a sporting hero and someone young people can look up too & aspire to be? Why do her religious beliefs have to come into it? That’s her business
She brings them into it. Every time she’s on camera she’s talking about god.. the magic man in the sky who miraculously gives her the adrenaline needed to throw her punches.. nothing at all to do with the spinach and carrots.
Every major nation in the world competes in boxing, what a misinformed stupid comment.
Ah Mairead give it a rest
Contact sports are not violent.
Come on Journal.ie! Why don’t you just block these stupid trolls?
Great tribute video montage to Katie Taylor. https://vimeo.com/47361394
Lots of people die in sports not just boxing.
Tell that to the thousands of brain-damaged amateur and professional boxers, or pray for those that died in the ring! Please don’t be ignorant.
Seriously mairead?! Jesus you’d put anybody off going to church!! Save the bible bashing for people who care. We’re all sick of your nonsensical rants at this stage!