Rory McIlroy entered Royal Portrush with the weight of a nation on his shoulders, and while the Northern Ireland native was unable to chase down the No. 1 golfer in the world Sunday at home, he still concluded the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush with a sense of redemption and pride. McIlroy finished T7 on The Open leaderboard, seven shots behind Scottie Scheffler, the new Champion Golfer of the Year.
“[My emotions are] a lot more positive than they were six years ago. I’m really pleased with my week,” McIlroy said. “I wish I had been closer to Scottie going into today and being able to make a real push, but he’s been on a different level all week, and he’s been on a different level for the last two years to the rest of us. He is the bar that we are all trying to get to at this point, so hat’s off to him. He’s an unbelievable player, and incredible champion and a great person, too. None of us could live with what he had this week.”
McIlroy shot a 2-under 69 in the final round to finish the tournament 10 under back from Scheffler’s 17-under total of 267. While it was not the storybook finish that Rory and his adoring fans in Northern Ireland hoped to see, it was a week he will never forget, and it certainly stung less than it would have otherwise had he not completed the career grand slam by winning the Masters earlier this year.
While Saturday 66 will stand near the top of McIlroy’s all-time list of rounds he will remember, the tremendous performance still left him six shots behind Scheffler entering Sunday. There was faint hope of a McIlroy comeback, but that was quickly snuffed out by Scheffler, who shot 2 under on the front nine Sunday despite carding a double bogey.
The recipe for a McIlroy miracle was to replicate his third round start when he was 3 under thru 4. Scheffler was the one that began on a heater, though, and Rory was never able to catch up let alone surpass the No. 1 golfer in the world.
McIlroy hit some wayward iron shots and could not create the early surge of energy he needed to produce even a hint of nerves in the penultimate pairing. He went out in 2 under, making three birdies and a bogey on the front nine, which would be a solid start most Sundays. When you’re trying to chase down a man whose name is quickly being placed in the annals of history, it’s simply not enough.
Right as Scheffler cracked the door open slightly with that double bogey on No. 8 — bringing the Ulsterman with five shots of the lead — McIlroy posted a double of his own on the 10th. That stumble was the end of McIlroy’s chances at a win, but he bounced back with two more birdies to give the home crowd a few more chances to roar and chant his name.
As McIlroy strode up the fairway to the 18th green, the tens of thousands on hand gave him a hero’s welcome. It seemed all week like the entire nation of Northern Ireland was walking the course, dozens deep on either side of the ropes. On the 18th, they appropriately greeted him with raucous applause.
McIlroy spoke after his third round about appreciating the moment more this time around after falling apart on the first hole and missing the cut the last time Royal Portrush hosted The Open in 2019.
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Buoyed by his Masters victory, which alleviated the pressure he carried during a decade-long drought between major wins, he was able to enjoy the moment. McIlroy echoed that sentiment his final round, noting that while he was unable close the gap on Scheffler, his walk up the 18th will stick with him forever.
“For me to be in front of everyone here at home — and to get that reception at the last [hole] — absolutely incredible,” McIlroy said. “I’ll remember that for a long time.”
Sunday was the culmination of that celebration, and while it didn’t finish with McIlroy hoisting the Claret Jug, it still offered redemption for the heartbreak of 2019 when he missed the cut by one. His home crowd capitalized on the opportunity to show their appreciation for the Northern Irish kid who made good, and McIlroy didn’t miss the chance to return the kindness.
“There’s a lot of gratitude and a lot of pride that I’m from the shores and, in part with the way I’ve played, advocated for this little country,” McIlroy said. “The Open’s returned here, and it’s been an amazing venue, and hopefully the R&A keep coming back.”
After McIlroy holed his par putt on the 18th and shook hands with playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick, the rest of the group cleared the green, allowing Rory to have his moment. With a hand in the air, McIlroy turned and waved to his adoring nation, offering sincere appreciation for the week-long support while soaking in his last great chance to win a major championship in his home country.