2 weeks Ago By Charlie Parker-Turner
Rory McIlroy is set to head to the Open with an immense weight lifted off his shoulders following his success at Augusta. The Northern Irishman landed his career grand slam earlier this month, winning his fifth major, 11 years after his fourth. McIlroy had endured some agonising near-misses at the Masters in years gone by, but he finally managed to land the spoils when beating Justin Rose in a sudden death play-off.
The success will see the 35-year-old return to golf with a newfound confidence having finally broken his very own Augusta course. However, it may not take long for McIlroy to fire himself back up as he begins to look ahead at his upcoming calendar. Righting the wrongs of his performance in the Open at his home course of Royal Portrush will be a priority now, having failed to even make the cut in the competition in 2019.
Fellow Irishman Shane Lowry went on to win the competition, and his success has not gone unnoticed in the local area. A mural of Lowry has been painted on a house near the entrance of Royal Portrush, and, although a thoughtful gesture, it may serve as an incentive for those heading to the Open in July. A post shared by Golf Digest (@golfdigest) McIlroy may not need any encouragement as he looks to build on his Augusta display, but it would be no surprise if the mural adds to his encouragement after seeing a rival lauded near his own stomping ground.
The Open has already sold out, with 278,000 tickets being purchased for the competition, set to take place between 13 and 20 July. R&A chief executive Mark Darbon has confirmed that there will be no additional tickets available, with many golf fans heading to the Dunluce links to continue celebrating McIlroy’s achievement. Speaking about the Masters victory, Darbon said: "I think it's brilliant for the sport of golf, not just our own championship.
It was an amazing, emotional win. We’re delighted to see Rory etch his name in the history books. It sets up a brilliant summer of golf and I’m sure he (McIlroy) has a bit of unfinished business here.
” McIlroy is, of course, looking forward to returning to Portrush to bid to win the Claret Jug as well, telling BBC NI : “Shane's defence in Portrush this year is going to be amazing. Hopefully, I'll have something to say about that as well. I'm very proud of where I'm from and every time I go back, I realise that more and more.
I can't wait to get back and celebrate with everyone I know and love there.".
