RORY McIlroy says that victory at this week’s Irish Open on the Royal County Down links would rank among the best in his career.
The Holywood native is bidding to add to the title he won at the K Club in 2016 when he healdines the field in Newcastle this week, as he makes a long-awaited competitive return to Northern Ireland.
“I’m really looking forward to the week.,” said the World Number Three, who is playing in his first tournament on home soil since the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
“I’ll never forget those couple of days in Portush, especially the Friday and the support that I got trying to make the cut,” added McIlroy.
“It will be nice to rekindle that again [the home support].
“I haven’t played as well as I would have wanted to when I’ve come back to play these events at home, so hopefully that can change this year.
“From an outsider’s perspective, it probably wouldn’t be as big as some of my other wins.
“But for me it would be up there with one of the biggest ones that I’ve had.”
McIlroy has been paired alongside close friend and fellow Holywood Golf Club star Tom McKibbin for the first two rounds of the DP World Tour event, with the home pair joined by defending champion Vincent Normann from Sweden.
The trio will begin off the first tee at 1pm on Thursday, with an 8am start awaiting them off the 10th tee in Friday’s second round.
For 21 year-old McKibbin, this week represents an opportunity to not only secure his PGA Tour card for 2025 but also boost his Ryder Cup qualifying stakes.
The Newtownabbey man is taking nothing for granted, however, around a course which left him ‘traumatised’ the first time he played it.
“The first couple of times I came here, I found it very hard and quite traumatising,” he said.
“But the more I’ve played it, the more I appreciate the course and the history of it, and I think that’s what makes it special to me.
As for putting his name alongside McIlroy, Pádraig Harrington and Shane Lowry as Irish golfers to have won the coveted event?
“It would mean a lot. I think it would mean a lot no matter where it was, but here at County Down would be even more special just because of the prestigiousness of the course and how special it is,” added McKibbin.
“It would probably be the biggest achievement of my career, and it would probably stay there forever.”
