Portrush win would be 'as emotional' as Masters - McIlroy

Rory McIlroy says winning this week's Open Championship on home soil at Royal Portrush would be "just as emotional" as his career Grand Slam-clinching Masters victory.

McIlroy became just the sixth man to win all four majors when he beat Justin Rose in a nerve-shredding play-off at Augusta in April.

The five-time major winner missed the cut when Royal Portrush staged The Open in 2019, but he regards himself as a "completely different person" and feels better equipped to navigate the intensity of the occasion.

"It would be amazing," the 36-year-old told BBC Sport NI when asked what a Portrush win would mean.

"I think it would be just as emotional, if not more emotional than Augusta - and everyone saw the mess I was after that.

"It would be absolutely incredible. I'm so grateful and appreciative of the support I get from home and they really make me feel that out there.

"That's an amazing feeling to play in front of and I want to embrace that this week. There's pressure internally to put on a show for everyone but I know that if I just go out and play my game, I'm playing well enough to give myself a great chance."

McIlroy, who finished second at last year's Irish Open at Royal County Down, admits he did not feel prepared for the level of support he received at Portrush in 2019 after trying to detach himself from the excitement around his first major appearance at home.

The Holywood native started the championship disastrously, hitting his opening tee shot out of bounds as he posted a quadruple-bogey eight on his way to a first-round 79. He had a spirited second-round fightback but missed the halfway cut.

"I'm so happy it's back so soon because I want to have another crack at it," he told BBC Sport.

"I didn't have the week I wanted in 2019. I'm a better player, manage my game better, and even if I have an off day, it's not going to be a 79 like it was on the first day in 2019."

And this week he says he will not hide away from the attention.

"I think I probably tried to isolate, and I think it's better for everyone if I embrace it," he added.

"I think it's better for me because it's nice to be able to accept adulation, even though I struggle with it at times. But it's also nice for the person that is seeing you for the first time in a few years.

"It just makes for a better interaction."

Importantly, McIlroy comes into the week in good form. After a post-Masters dip, he returned from a two-week break after June's Travelers Championship to finish tied second at last week's Scottish Open.

"I'm certainly encouraged by how I've played the last two starts, especially in Scotland," said 2014 Open champion McIlroy, who only managed four hours of sleep before his early practice round on Monday.

"The two weeks off after the Travelers to reset, get over here, a bit of a change of scenery, has been really nice.

"When I was looking at the calendar for 2025, this was the tournament that was probably circled even more so than the Masters, for different reasons, so it's lovely to be coming in here already with a major and everything else that's happened this year.

"I'm excited with where my game's at, not that last week was a pure preparation but I definitely feel like it put me in a good spot heading into here."