Home favourite Rory McIlroy falls short in bid for first-round Open lead - McIlroy had to settle for a one-over-par round of 70.

World number one Scottie Scheffler was one stroke adrift, and Rory McIlroy scrambled to a 70 after a rollercoaster round in which he bogeyed the first hole and fought back to three under before fading on the back nine.

McIlroy ejected on the first hole and ultimately missed the cut when The Open was last played in his home country of Northern Ireland

PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy turns heads with bold outfit in return to Royal Portrush ahead of The Open Championship.

So here is our final major big board of the year, ranking the top 30 golfers in the field. This is not simply the 30 best golfers in a vacuum. These are the 30 golfers that our crack team of Gabby Herzig, Hugh Kellenberger and Brody Miller believe are best suited to win this week at Royal Portrush.

By the time Rory McIlroy finished his first practice round for the British Open at Royal Portrush, a big crowd that weathered rain and sunshine was waiting to see him finish.

ROYAL PORTRUSH — The Masters took four days to drain the Rory McIlroy fan base of emotional resource. Northern Ireland might well run out of tranquilisers come Sunday should McIlroy get that far. No eight on the card, yet, but tumult aplenty on the opening day in Portrush.

What time does Rory McIlroy tee off at The Open today? Day one start times, how to watch and latest odds - Masters champion targeting second career Claret Jug on home turf in Northern Ireland