Rory on Irish Open: “It would be up there with one of the biggest wins that I’ve had.”

It will be a winter of tidying up for Rory McIlroy who after a season which has unravelled, can still make it a good one with “one of the biggest wins” he has had at this week’s Amgen Irish Open in Royal County Down.

It doesn’t matter how old you are and after a bruising summer that saw McIlroy lose the US Open to Bryson DeChambeau, miss the cut at the Open and find water at the wrong time to cost him an Olympic medal, he is delighted to be home at last.

“To be home, home and stay in my own house and see my friends and all that — I’ve only been here for a day — but it’s been great,” McIlroy told UTV in Newcastle.

“Obviously, really looking forward to the week. I love coming back and playing, even if it’s just with my mates, coming playing at RCD or playing Portrush, so to be able to play a tournament, I didn’t do so well last time. So I’m trying to improve on that.”

McIlroy’s recent record back in Royal County Down and Portrush reads MC, MC in 2015 and 2019 respectively. The Holywood man hosted the Irish Open when it was last played in RCD and wasn’t able to travel home for the 2020 edition in Carton House.

“I’ll never forget those couple of days in Portrush, especially that Friday and trying to make the cut and the support that I got,” he said. “But yeah, Covid happened, and I wasn’t able to get home (for the Irish Open at Galgorm Castle in 2020). It’ll be nice to rekindle that again.

“I always appreciate the unbelievable support that I get from home and everyone around here. But I haven’t played as well as I want to when I come back and play these events at home. So hopefully, this year that can change.”

McIlroy actually has a modest Irish Open record despite winning in 2016. He had missed his last three cuts prior to that week at the K Club where he produced one of the most famous shots this tournament has ever seen at the 16th.

The 35-year-old is without a top-10 finish since 2016 and has missed editions in 2019, 2020 and 2022 but admits winning this week would be up there with some of his biggest victories.

“From an outsider, it probably wouldn’t be as meaningful as some of the other wins that I’ve had.

“But for me, it would be up there with one of the biggest wins that I’ve had.”

Despite completing a tenth successive year without a major title McIlroy has won three times this year — the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January, the Wells Fargo Championship and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Shane Lowry.