Rory McIlroy and the call from Portrush: 'Bring the cup home'

Late on a midweek afternoon on the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland, the crowd crowded around the ninth green at Royal Portrush, eyes on every familiar footstep. “Bring it home, Rory!” they chanted in unison, echoing on the sea breeze, as if the entire land were placing its trust in its greatest son: Rory McIlroy.

And that was just practice ahead of the 153rd Open.

Rory McIlroy's practice round was no different than the final round.

This land belongs to Rory'

Royal Portrush will welcome more than 280,000 spectators this week, a record number since the ancient golf course first hosted The Open in 1951. But the fans are no coincidence. The reason is summed up in two words: Rory McIlroy.

It was just a practice session, but Royal Portrush already had the feel of a major final. Rory's every shot was watched in silence. When he missed a putt, everyone shook their heads in regret. When the ball dropped into the hole, the cheers erupted.

Even though he didn’t play a full 18 holes, Rory still spent nearly 30 minutes on the ninth green signing autographs for fans. He visited each child standing crowded by the fence, not missing a single one.

“I believe Rory will do well,” said Jonathan Lee, a resident of Portstewart. “He is a fine son of this land. I just hope the pressure of the home field does not weigh too heavily on his shoulders.”

On this course, as a 16-year-old teenager, McIlroy shocked the golf world with a record round of 61 at the North of Ireland Championship in 2005.

But also here 6 years ago, McIlroy was also painfully eliminated after the opening round of The Open 2019 with a 79 stroke. It was a shock not only for him, but also for the people of a land that had placed too much hope.

Rory signed without leaving out anyone.

Back in the spotlight

2025 is a completely different chapter in McIlroy's career. He arrives at Royal Portrush as a Masters champion, a title that puts him in the elite ranks of those who have completed the career Grand Slam.

Victory at Augusta in April not only ended Rory's near-decade drought, but also put him back at the centre of world golf.

Once again, the weight was on McIlroy’s shoulders. But this time, the pressure seemed less heavy. He smiled comfortably as he signed autographs, kept his composure with each swing, and exuded the confidence of someone who no longer had anything to prove except himself.

Eleven years have passed since McIlroy's sole Open title at Royal Liverpool in 2014. Many events, both on and off the golf course, have forged him into a more mature, resilient and thoughtful version of himself.

If McIlroy can lift the Claret Jug Cup high in the middle of Royal Portrush this weekend, it will be a fairytale ending to a journey of more than a decade, and the complete joy of thousands of hearts that have patiently waited for his return. Victory right where it started.

"Bring the cup home, Rory!" is not only a slogan, but also a message from the whole homeland, giving all their hearts to their beloved son, who has become the pride, symbol of the resilient will, the desire to rise and the sporting identity of Northern Ireland.