McIlroy sees Open as sign of Northern Ireland's progress

Golf - The 148th Open Championship - Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush, Northern Ireland - July 17, 2019 Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy during a press conference REUTERS/Ian Walton

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - For Rory McIlroy, Royal Portrush will always be the place where, at the age of 16, he broke the course record in stunning fashion, grabbing the attention of the golfing world.

But while that round of 61 at the 2005 North of Ireland Championship was clearly a sign of the great things to come for the four-times major winner, the arrival of the Open at the course has a significance for McIlroy beyond personal nostalgia.