Rory McIlroy is not a man who makes the same mistake twice. After getting schooled by Royal Portrush six years ago, he’s determined to make a strong impression this time around. The Northern Irish superstar has a reputation for rising to the occasion, and with the crowd cheering him on, he’s got the perfect fuel for a charge.

McIlroy shot a solid 69 in the second round, one stroke better than his opening 70, and while he’s still five shots behind clubhouse leader Brian Harman, he’s feeling pretty good about his chances. But McIlroy is very well aware of the challenge ahead.

He’s still got vivid memories of his disastrous 2019 campaign, where he carded a 79 in the first round and missed the cut. “It was a hard pill to swallow, but at the same time, I left myself too much to do,” he admitted at The 153rd Open. This time around, McIlroy feels like he’s been “somewhat close to my best” over the first two days, and he’s excited to see what the weekend brings.

With the weight of expectation on his shoulders, McIlroy’s determined to make a run and prove himself at Royal Portrush. McIlroy’s aware that Royal Portrush is a tough course, where “everything becomes pretty bunched.” You can’t just expect to go low and blow the field away — you need to play smart and pick your moments.“You know the holes you have to make par, you know the holes you have to make birdie, and everyone sort of has to play the golf course the same way,” he said.

Still, with his game in good shape and the crowd behind him, McIlroy is feeling optimistic about his chances of making a deep run. As he said, “I’m going to need to have it all under control and have it sort of all firing over the weekend to make a run.”

Rory McIlroy is feeling the energy at Royal Portrush

Rory McIlroy strolled onto the first tee at Royal Portrush, waving politely to the fans and greeting his playing partners Justin Thomas and Tommy Fleetwood, but beneath the calm exterior, he was ready to face a six-year-old demon. The world number two had learned from his 2019 experience, where he missed the cut, and this time, he knew what to expect.

“It wasn’t new to me,” McIlroy said, “I think having that experience six years ago was definitely helpful.” Despite a bogey on the first hole, McIlroy settled into a rhythm, birdieing three of his next six holes and turning in 34. He flashed moments of brilliance, draining a 15-foot birdie putt on the second and nearly sending the crowd into delirium with a near-pin-high shot on the seventh.

As McIlroy walked off the 18th green, the intensity of the support was palpable. “It was absolutely incredible,” he smiled, “I feel the support of an entire country out there, which is a wonderful position to be in. At the same time, you don’t want to let them down, so there is that added bit of pressure.” McIlroy dealt with the pressure well, finishing one under and just three off the lead. With the crowd’s energy fueling him, can he capitalize on the support and win the tournament? We would love to hear your thoughts.