Tearful McIlroy Reacts To Portrush Open Despair

An emotional Rory McIlroy held back the tears in an interview with Sky Sports' Tim Barter

Tearful McIlroy Reacts To Portrush Open Despair

An emotional Rory McIlroy held back the tears in an interview with Sky Sports' Tim Barter

Tearful McIlroy Reacts To Portrush Open Despair

Rory McIlroy shot 65 on Friday at Royal Portrush to agonisingly miss the cut at the Open Championship by a single stroke.

The Northern Irishman had the weight of Ireland on his shoulders and ultimately the pressure was too much in round one, but he came so close to writing those wrongs this afternoon.

The four-time Major-winning former World Number One made seven birdies on day two in a round that most golf fans will remember for some time.

His birdie on the par-3 16th, known as Calamity, was phenomenal under the pressure on Friday but it was built upon a wonderful round prior to that.

It was truly gripping stuff as he made his way around the Portrush links and it is hard to believe that he is heading home after a new course record-equalling 65.

The damage was done in the first round but his valiant fight back will have won hearts all around both the golfing and sporting worlds.

This was one of the biggest weeks of McIlroy's life and it will break his heart to miss the cut.

He was very emotional and clearly fighting back tears in his post-round interview with Sky Sports' Tim Barter.

"Part of me is disappointed not to be here for the weekend," he said before taking a moment.

"Part of me disappointed, emotional but happy with how I played.

"The support I got out there was incredible and you could see out there on the back nine if I got that little bit of momentum out there yesterday, I went with it today and that's what I was planning to do all week."

Watch McIlroy's emotional interview with Tim Barter in full here -

"He is the brightest kid in the class with a tendency to daydream," Paul McGinley said on Sky Sports after.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV