Shocked by the strength of the reception that greeted the returning hero at the start of the 2019 Open, McIlroy famously fired out of bounds off the tee, took eight shots to get the ball in the hole and went on to card a 79.

That's what is on the line this week at the 2025 Open Championship as Royal Portrush hosts the final major of the season in Northern Ireland. Returning to the par 71 for the first time since 2019 -- only the third time The Open has ever been held outside of Scotland or England -- the R&A has set up a tournament that will do its best to identify the man most equipped to deal with the elements and emotional toll one experiences across four rounds of major championship golf.