The Open notebook: Rory McIlroy’s major prep, Jon Rahm’s photobombing, Shane Lowry’s return and more stories from Royal Portrush | Golf News

Jamie Weir of Sky Sports News chooses six scenarios in the training days before the open, including the preparation of Rory McILroy for a major home victory, Jon Rahm surprising fans in a Portrush bar and the players already making the headlines in Royal Portrush …

Happy McILroy kisses the love of house fans

So many people expected that the victory of Rory McILroy the masters of Augusta was a lifted weight of his shoulders, including I think that the man himself.

That without the burden of the continuation of the next major, of the pursuit of this great home career, he could be able to free wheels and – in his own words – play with the money of the house. Instead, we saw something from the contrary.

In the last two majors, he sometimes looked not motivated and wondered what his next dream was. Winning his second jug of Blaret – in his country of origin, in front of his worshipers – would certainly be this dream.

I think McILroy is fed up with the week’s version by the week on the PGA Tour and Life in the United States, but be back on this side of the pond has rejuvenated him. He has a smile on his face and this rebound in his step this week.

In 2019, he tried to block the enormity of playing in an open championship at an hour from the road from where he comes from, but this year, he seems to kiss him and embrace the love he will feel of the galleries when he came out at 3:10 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

MCKIBBIN ready to impress on the house floor

Although there are so many eyeballs on McILroy, naturally, and the member of the Royal Portrush, Darren Clarke, will have the fans who will applaud him, it is perhaps the third Irishman in the North – and the most not announced of the three – who can imagine his chances of doing something remarkable.

Tom McKibbin played a round of training with McILroy and Clarke on Tuesday, chose their brain around the links and what I saw in the few holes that I walked with them, the balloon magnificently struck.

He arrives after turning the lowest cycle of the week in Valderrama on Liv Golf, is full of confidence and especially begins his campaign in the first group Thursday morning when the conditions are most benign.

McKibbin can go out on an empty golf course and perhaps get a low score on the map before entering, have a second breakfast, setting foot and looking at the conditions get worse for subsequent beginners. It may well be worth a clearance of clearance for a place, or certainly as a possible first -round leader.

RAHM relaxed to challenge for a big victory?

Jon Rahm is my advice and there are many reasons why I want to get his hands on this Bordeaux jug on Sunday evening and finish the third stage of the big career.

Is mainly the fact that he succeeded in this part of the world, right next when the Irish Open was in Portswart. He also won an Irish open in Lahinch, he therefore showed that he can master golf ties on Emerald Island.

He arrives in a fairly decent form, after a finalist in Valderrama on Liv last week. You cannot get many courses that are more polar opposite than Valderrama and Royal Portrush, but nevertheless it is put in practice this week and I think it is of the little to go out.

A fire was binding to Rahm at the PGA championship just a few months ago. Despite a few shots in his fence holes and Scottie Scheffler winning at a gallop, you could see in his eyes when he spoke to the media thereafter that he had loved being back in the fire of the great battle.

Last night, I appreciated drinks with friends at the Harbor Bar. While taking a picture of them, they were suddenly photobmused by whom? Well, by the US Open 2021 and the Champion of the 2023 masters, Rahm, sticky with his head on the side of the shooting and creating a wonderful moment.

This photo has now become viral on social networks. He arrives relaxed and in great shape this week – the kind of attitude that is important to withdraw links. I want Big Jon to get better than him when he finished finalist by Brian Harman in Hoylake.

Lowry “ Sharp like never before ” for the return Portrush

2019 was really remarkable. Who can forget these incredible images of Shane Lowry rising the 72nd hole, in the teeming rain, when it seemed that the whole island had all descended on the North Atlantic coast to encourage him to the house.

I spoke to him at the beginning of the week and he said that he did not feel like the champion in title in any way, in shape or form. Xander Schauffele is of course the reigning champion. Six years is a long time and he has changed both as a person and as a golfer since 2019.

On Monday, he wanted to emphasize that one of the things he had in his favor six years ago was that all the eyeballs were on Rory, and he was able to come under the radar. This year, he is certainly not under the radar.

He plays the sparkling golf and although he does not arrive in the largest form, I think that it comes out of the window with regard to an open championship and connects golf, especially around a route where you have already been successful.

On training days, it looks as clear as I have ever seen it. He has a smile on his face, a rebound in his approach and he gets the bit to go on Thursday.

Jordan intended for the top-10 for three Repeat?!

Betsmen who want a little value of each path, what about a Fiver on Matthew Jordan? I must say that one of my favorite stories to the last two openings has revolved around him.

In 2023 in Hoylake, where he was a member, he struck the opening blow and – three days later – sank a Birdie part on the 72nd hole to finish in the Top 10 and qualify for the following year at Royal Troon.

Then, last year in Royal Troon, he was the only player on the field not to have a single round on the peer – his towers of 71, 71, 71. And 71. Yes, remarkably, four equal rounds saw him finished again in the top 10 and therefore qualify the competition of this year.

Would it not be something remarkable if he had to win another top-10 and reserve his place in Royal Birkdale, just at the top of the coast where he comes from next year?!

An amateur ace and other special stories

What is so special and so unique about open is some of the stranger, more exceptional and more remarkable stories it launches. Being an open championship, it is literally open to anyone between and some of the qualifying stories this week are remarkable.

Richard Tededer of Estonia has moved away from the Fairway in the first hole of a play -off in the final qualification to start at the opening, becoming the first man in his country – who only has seven golf courses in total – to play in a major championship.

Filip Jakubik is an amateur playing in the championship open this year and I was on the sixth hole just a few days ago while during a training session, he had a hole in one. Unfortunately, there was no one other than his shopping cart to give a high five to.

And what about the history of Ryan Peake, the New Zealand champion Open earlier this year? The 32 -year -old man from Perth, Australia, was a contemporary of Cameron Smith but fell in love with the game and rather fell with a biker gang.

He was arrested for assault, charged and sentenced to five years in one of the most difficult prisons in Australia. This is where he had a revelation and decided that he had to change his life. His coach helped him start to plot life after prison and here he plays in an open.

A really remarkable story.

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