Feeling the pressure - Down buzz a double-edged sword for Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy during a media conference after the Pro Am before the Amgen Irish Open Golf Championship 2024 at the Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, Down. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Royal County Down and the Amgen Irish Open is something of a match made in heaven for Rory McIlroy, yet both the venue and the tournament represent a double-edged sword for the world number three as he returns to the world-renowned links this week.
There are the memories, of course, of a national open that captured the young McIlroy’s imagination as he chased down Serio Garcia and Ernie Els’s autographs from outside the ropes while as a touring pro and major winner there was the joy of claiming victory at The K Club in 2016.
As McIlroy returns to home soil for this week’s Amgen Irish Open, teeing it up at Royal County Down also reminds him of the missed cut on the event’s last visit here in 2015 and the pressures that are attached to being the figurehead of this tournament for th best part of a decade. That pressure increases so close to his Holywood Golf Club roots but the four-time major champion could still be found on the Royal County Down putting green on Wednesday following his Pro-Am round, signing autographs for the next generation of golf fans who now look up to him for inspiration.
“It doesn't seem that long ago that I was one of those kids in that line trying to get an autograph at Mount Juliet or an Irish Open wherever it was back in 2003, 2004,” McIlroy said ahead of his 1pm first-round tee time on Thursday. “And I know how much it meant to me to get Tiger's autograph or Ernie or Sergio or any of those guys.
“Yeah, I understand, it's hard to get to everyone but I try to make an effort, especially when I come back here. I don't get to play competitive golf very often back here. So I certainly appreciate the support that I get.
“To see so many youngsters out there, it's great to see. Try to make sure they know that it's appreciated and hopefully I can, I guess, give them something to aspire towards in the future if golf is what they want to do.”
With that adoration and attention also comes expectation, of course, and McIlroy has not risen to it on his competitive visits home, missing the Irish Open cuts in both 2012 at Royal Portrush and here in 2016 while also leaving the 2019 Open Championship at the halfway stage, also at Portrush.
“Yeah, it's a bit of a double-edged sword,” he acknowledged. “I get the buzz but I also feel the added pressure of trying to perform at home. Something I've honestly struggled with in the past. You know, the couple Irish Opens that I've played in Northern Ireland, the one Open Championship I played in Northern Ireland, hasn't went so well.
“I usually just try to relax and go about my business as I would at any other time of the year. It's great to play in front of them but I have to manage my own little world around me to try to get the best out of myself as well.”
McIlroy could not ask for a greater setting in which to immerse himself and he will do so in the company of fellow Holywood pro Tom McKibbin, the newly-minted DP World Tour winner who is 17th in the Race To Dubai rankings thanks to victory at the Porsche European Open in Germany three months ago.
“Playing the Irish Open on arguably one of, if not the best golf course in the world in my eyes is a real treat,” McIlroy said. “We don't get to play this calibre of golf course on tour, so to be able to play somewhere like this is amazing.
“I was out there for nine holes in the Pro-Am this afternoon, and with the crowds that are out there already, playing with Tom the first two days, as well, is going to be great for both of us, a great experience for him as well.
“You know, hopefully these sort of stormy squalls blow through tonight and we can have some decent weather over the week. Excited to be back and looking forward to the week.”
McKibbin, now 21, played a practice round with McIlroy at Royal County Down in 2015 and could well be one of the 2016 champion’s main rivals for the title on Sunday afternoon. For now, though, the elder partner of the Holywood double act is still enjoying the junior’s career trajectory.
“It's been amazing just to watch his journey and see him from that little boy and come up and be a European Tour winner, and getting to play practise rounds with him at major championships now. It's really cool. It's cool to feel like I've had a tiny part in that journey in some way.”
McIlroy added: “I'm excited to play competitively with him these next couple of days. It will be a great atmosphere out there, and I'm sure we'll both enjoy it.”
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