New Year, new mindset, as Rory now ready to let loose

His failure to win at home last summer provided Rory McIlroy with a liberating epiphany — he’s playing with house money from here on out, so don’t hold anything back.

McIlroy left the Open Championship at Royal Portrush an emotional mess after coming up just short of the cut, fighting uphill after his opening tee shot when went out of bounds and led to a crippling quadruple bogey to start.