Not for the first time in his career, Rory McIlroy is taking the long view of his game as he searches for answers to the increasing distance between him and his last major championship victory.

Rory McIlroy staged a stirring Open Championship fightback at Royal Birkdale that will send him into today’s second round feeling he can get right among the leaders.

The hunger and ambition burns as strongly as ever for Rory McIlroy even if his prospects do not seem as bright as they did three years ago when he dominated the golfing universe.

Paul McBride’s hopes of Amateur Championship glory were dashed yesterday with defeat by two holes at the hands of Englishman Harry Ellis in their quarter-final on the Kent coast.