Portrush Win Would Be 'as Emotional' As Masters - Mcilroy

Rory McIlroy says winning this week's Open Championship connected location ungraded astatine Royal Portrush would beryllium "just arsenic emotional" arsenic his profession Grand Slam-clinching Masters victory.

McIlroy became conscionable nan sixth man to triumph each 4 fields erstwhile he hit Justin Rose successful a nerve-shredding play-off astatine Augusta successful April.

The five-time awesome victor missed nan trim erstwhile Royal Portrush staged The Open successful 2019, but he regards himself arsenic a "completely different person" and feels amended equipped to navigate nan strength of nan occasion.

"It would beryllium amazing," nan 36-year-old told BBC Sport NI erstwhile asked what a Portrush triumph would mean.

"I deliberation it would beryllium conscionable arsenic emotional, if not much affectional than Augusta - and everyone saw nan messiness I was aft that.

"It would beryllium perfectly incredible. I'm truthful grateful and appreciative of nan support I get from location and they really make maine consciousness that retired there.

"That's an astonishing emotion to play successful beforehand of and I want to clasp that this week. There's unit internally to put connected a show for everyone but I cognize that if I conscionable spell retired and play my game, I'm playing good capable to springiness myself a awesome chance."

McIlroy, who vanished 2nd astatine past year's Irish Open astatine Royal County Down, admits he did not consciousness prepared for nan level of support he received astatine Portrush successful 2019 aft trying to detach himself from nan excitement astir his first awesome quality astatine home.

The Holywood autochthonal started nan title disastrously, hitting his opening tee changeable retired of bounds arsenic he posted a quadruple-bogey 8 connected his measurement to a first-round 79. He had a spirited second-round fightback but missed nan halfway cut.

"I'm truthful happy it's backmost truthful soon because I want to person different ace astatine it," he told BBC Sport.

"I didn't person nan week I wanted successful 2019. I'm a amended player, negociate my crippled better, and moreover if I person an disconnected day, it's not going to beryllium a 79 for illustration it was connected nan first time successful 2019."

And this week he says he will not hide distant from nan attention.

"I deliberation I astir apt tried to isolate, and I deliberation it's amended for everyone if I clasp it," he added.

"I deliberation it's amended for maine because it's bully to beryllium capable to judge adulation, moreover though I struggle pinch it astatine times. But it's besides bully for nan personification that is seeing you for nan first clip successful a fewer years.

"It conscionable makes for a amended interaction."

Importantly, McIlroy comes into nan week successful bully form. After a post-Masters dip, he returned from a two-week break aft June's Travelers Championship to decorativeness tied 2nd astatine past week's Scottish Open.

"I'm surely encouraged by really I've played nan past 2 starts, particularly successful Scotland," said 2014 Open champion McIlroy, who only managed 4 hours of slumber earlier his early believe information connected Monday.

"The 2 weeks disconnected aft nan Travelers to reset, get complete here, a spot of a alteration of scenery, has been really nice.

"When I was looking astatine nan almanac for 2025, this was nan tourney that was astir apt circled moreover much truthful than nan Masters, for different reasons, truthful it's beautiful to beryllium coming successful present already pinch a awesome and everything other that's happened this year.

"I'm excited pinch wherever my game's at, not that past week was a axenic mentation but I decidedly consciousness for illustration it put maine successful a bully spot heading into here."