Rory McIlroy Sends Honest Message During Second Round of the Open Championship

Rory McIlroy Sends Honest Message During Second Round of the Open Championship originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush is underway, and some of golf’s biggest names are fighting for the final men’s major of the year. Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele are all in the mix as the competition heads into the weekend, with extended live coverage from media houses like Sky Sports.

McIlroy, playing in front of his home crowd in Northern Ireland, is trying to match his 2014 feat of winning two majors in one season. But emotions ran high during his second round. After a brilliant drive on the par-4 15th, Rory misfired on his approach and let out an expletive that was picked up on live TV.

Despite the moment of frustration, McIlroy shared a personal reflection on what it means to play at Portrush. “It’s been an unbelievable journey. Not in my wildest dreams did I think this is how life would pan out,” he said. “To play in an Open Championship here and feel like you have the support of the entire nation behind you … I feel very lucky, very grateful.”

"I feel very lucky" 🙌

Rory McIlroy on what it means to play at Royal Portrush 💚 pic.twitter.com/0eeZLJE2zA

— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) July 18, 2025

The memories of his previous Open at Portrush in 2019 still linger. A missed cut after a rough start then, Rory admitted the crowd’s support during that week left a lasting impact.

“I'm excited for the opportunity over the next two days,” he added.

Rory McIlroy hit two fairways today.

That's tied for last in the field. 😬 pic.twitter.com/xEDU0yBeGa

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) July 17, 2025

McIlroy remains in contention going into the weekend, hoping to deliver something special on home soil. The leaderboard remains tight, with Scheffler and Schauffele also making strong pushes.

Related: Bryson DeChambeau Reveals Personal Message During Open Championship

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.