Rory McIlroy praised Royal Birkdale as the course prepares to host the Open Championship for the first time in nine years, with the six‑time major champion aiming for a second Claret Jug. McIlroy finished tied‑fourth at the Southport venue in 2017, seven shots behind champion Jordan Spieth.
The Northern Irishman, who secured his only Open title to date at another Merseyside course, Royal Liverpool in 2014, has been practicing at Birkdale this week ahead of the championship scheduled for July 16‑19.
Sir Nick Faldo attended the session for Sky Sports and asked McIlroy for his thoughts on the course. The 37‑year‑old responded in a video posted to Faldo’s X account: “I’ve always thought Birkdale is one of the best on the Open rota, so excited to be back.
“It’s good. A little bit different from 2017, the last time we played an Open here. Some different green complexes, different holes.
“The fifth hole I just played is completely different. I like it. A good driveable par four. A bit of a penalty if you got for it and miss.
“I don’t know if the water is quite in play on the right but a lot of big deep bunkers guarding the green.”
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McIlroy was visibly frustrated after hitting a poor approach to the third green at Shinnecock Hills during the recent US Open
‘McIlroy getting used to links golf again’
McIlroy secured back‑to‑back Masters triumphs at Augusta National in April, then posted a shared‑seventh placing at the PGA Championship in Aronimink, the second major of the year, before finishing tied‑32nd at last week’s US Open at Shinnecock.
He will play in the Genesis Scottish Open—an event he won in 2023 and finished runner‑up a year ago—a week before the Open at Royal Birkdale, aiming to gain more links experience.
He added to Faldo: “I am going to play the Scottish Open so it will be nice to get a few reps in, get a card in my hand, do all that.
“It’s good to get up here and play early. I’ve been trying to do that at every major championship, which is working out for me.
“Try to play a bit of links golf, get used to these conditions again.”
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