Rory McIlroy returned to Royal Portrush for the Open, feeling the support of Northern Ireland. He noted the added pressure of representing his country but believed he managed it better than during his last appearance in 2019, which saw him score poorly. This time, McIlroy approached the first tee with greater preparation and awareness, acknowledging his previous lack of experience in that environment. Although not hitting the fairway consistently, his scrambling skills helped him achieve a strong score of 1-under 70 in the opening round.
"Look, I feel the support of an entire country out there, which is a wonderful position to be in, but at the same time, you don't want to let them down."
"I didn't feel like I was walking into the unknown this time around, where last time I hadn't experienced that before. I hadn't played an Open at home."
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