Rory McIlroy Has His Swagger Back

Rory McIlroy is in the midst of a career year. A win at Pebble Beach, a second PLAYERS title, and the Career Grand Slam. But strangely, it’s felt like he’s been a little lost since slipping on the Green Jacket.

The driver snafu at the PGA Championship, a couple dust-ups with the media. Hell, the guy just shaved his head. If that’s not the universal sign of going through change, I don’t know what is. But since a final-round 67 at Oakmont, it feels like he’s starting to get his swagger back.

A week after the U.S. Open, Rory tied for sixth at the Travelers Championship. And after a few weeks away from golf, he came right back at the Scottish Open and earned a silver medal.

The Open: Ranking the Field at Portrush

"I think I'm pretty close to being back to the level I was at going into the Masters,” McIlroy said on Saturday night at The Renaissance Club. “I've had a little bit of a lull, which I feel is understandable. So I'm just getting back to the level that I know I can play at."

And now he’s back home. Back in Northern Ireland and back at Royal Portrush.

When The Open was here in 2019, you could see the pressure Rory had on his shoulders all week long. It was the first time since 1951 that The Open was staged at Royal Portrush, and the local kid entered the week with 10 top-10 finishes in 13 starts in ‘19, including two wins (THE PLAYERS, RBC Canadian Open).

Everyone and their mother were expecting him to finally break his majorless drought.

But after his opening tee shot went out of bounds, Rory struggled to an opening-round 79. To his credit, he came back fighting on Friday and posted a 65, but it wasn’t enough to make it to the weekend.

Now six years later, he enters this Portrush edition with the major monkey off his back. But he understands that the pressure is still there. He’s still at home and he’s going to hear the crowd all week long.

"I think it's more of an embrace everything that's going to come my way this week and not try to shy away from it or hide away from it,” McIlroy told the media on Monday.

Having his game back should help a whole lot, though.

“It’s lovely to be coming in here already with a major,” McIlroy said. “And everything else that’s happened this year. I’m excited with where my game is. I felt like I showed some really good signs last week…I feel like it put me in a good spot heading into (The Open).”

Every golfer loves to say, “I’m back.” I’ve done it my fair share of times—pretty much every time I go to the range and find something. But it really feels like Rory is.

His first few holes on Thursday will tell a lot, but he sounds like a man ready to embrace the challenge.

The stars seem to be aligning, but he still has to take care of business.

Related: The Open Championship's Homegrown Heroes