Golf's rich history is on full display at the picturesque Royal Portrush — Golfweek's No. 2 rated course in all of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

McIlroy could not reproduce his Saturday magic to catch Scottie Scheffler, but he still achieved a level of redemption at his home Open

Explore Royal Portrush Golf Club in depth–learn five facts about its historic origins, Dunluce Links, Open legacy, renovations, and more.

When the Open returned to Royal Portrush in 2019, a great deal of ink was spent explaining why it hadn’t visited Northern Ireland in 68 years.

While Rory McIlroy’s Northern Ireland homecoming didn’t have the fairytale finish of winning a second Claret Jug at Royal Portrush, the atmosphere surrounding his return was still the highlight of an unforgettable Open Championship.

Rory McIlroy hung around to savor the moment, soaking in the adulation that rained down on him on Royal Portrush’s 18th green.

By the time Rory McIlroy finished his first practice round for the British Open at Royal Portrush, a big crowd that weathered rain and sunshine was waiting to see him finish.

This is about the Open, a championship in its 153rd year. And it’s about Portrush, a seasonal town of 6,000 or so, one with a Ferris wheel and a long swath of beach, and dogs off leashes, and a gem of a links course that’s carved its place in the Open rota. And it’s about Irish golf.

“Rory did win,” said Brian McDermott, from Moville, Co Donegal. “He brought the Open to Portrush. The Open would not be here without him, so that is a win. “Six years ago, he missed the cut, so to get him, and to watch him, and to see him finish – that is a win.