Justin Rose was the fall guy in Rory McIlroy’s moment of triumph at the Masters, the man who had the closest view of the Northern Irishman’s historic career Grand Slam.
Rose’s loss in the playoff for a second time – he was also thwarted by Sergio Garcia in 2017 – prompted McIlroy to actually admit that, if he weren’t to win the Claret Jug at Portrush, then Rose would be his choice.
Of revisiting that scene on the 18th green at Augusta, Rose remarked: “I was able to still be happy for Rory in that moment, and it had been a long time coming for him. For how good he is, to kind of have a few chances slip by, in obviously maybe a decade even of chances slip by. It was always going to be a matter of time. I mean, it’s easy for us to say that, but when you’re the player, you want to kind of get that done and you want to get over the line, and obviously he had a huge opportunity to get that done.
[ Grace of Masters nearly man Justin Rose enhanced Rory McIlroy’s historic winOpens in new window ]
“It’s been a weird one because I don’t really feel like I had to get over it because I didn’t necessarily feel completely devastated by it either. I’m ready to move on for sure because second is second place, isn’t it? It’s a tough loss. But at the same time, it’s still more evidence that when I get things right, I’m still competitive and can still bring it. That’s where I’m encouraged about, and obviously I’ve got to make sure those moments like this week and going forward I can try to be as focused as I can on the moment now.”
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Portrush legacy is in the bag
Steam trains, Dunluce Castle, sea views and whiskey are among the features used on players’ special-edition staff bags for the 153rd Open championship.
The TaylorMade Portrush bag draws inspiration from the steam line train that runs close to the course and which started operations in 1855: on the back side top valuables pocket, an embroidered patch commemorates the host venue in the form of a vintage train ticket, while “All Aboard!” appears on the front side valuables pocket. The engine colours of red and black feature on the bag’s exterior, while the green signifies the passenger cars.
Callaway’s staff bag also has Portrush inspiration, with a graphic of Dunluce Castle between a turquoise sea and sky and bright orange lifebuoy rings and rope netting on its side panels.
Innovatively, the sides of the Cobra staff bag look like a whiskey cask with its wood grain, and it is highlighted by a wonderful green tartan pattern. You can see an “Aged 52 years” logo that refers to ageing whiskey in barrels, while the “52 years” pays homage to Cobra being founded in 1973.
As for Srixon, Shane Lowry’s caddie Darren Reynolds will be carrying a deep mahogany and navy blue bag which has matching headcovers; around the base are the years Royal Portrush has hosted the Open (1951, 2019, 2025).
From Portrush to Portmarnock
Royal Portrush is playing host to the Open for a third time, and the prospect of Portmarnock joining the championship rota remains a viable option, which would make the north Dublin links the first outside of the United Kingdom to stage the event.
Mark Darbon, the chief executive of the R&A, which runs the championship, said: “We are thinking about Portmarnock. We think it’s a wonderful links golf course and we’ve been really encouraged by the support that we’ve had in principle from the Irish Government to work with us to understand whether we could stage an Open championship there in the future.
“We’re knee deep in feasibility work to help us answer that question fully. We expect to have a clearer picture by the back end of this year.”
Players aiming for 99
One of the fringe benefits for those players seeking some relaxing downtime this week has been the provision of an ice cream station in the Players’ Lounge.
The ice cream is provided by the Morelli ice cream parlour, with the background information of a family business that started “from humble beginnings in Coleraine in 1911” to grow in to the institution it has become today.
Players can choose a variety of toppings from fresh berries to chocolate sauces in creating their own sundaes.
As for Pádraig Harrington, he kept up a tradition of buying a 99 cone during his pre-championship practice round and gave the on-course vendors the thumbs-up for their product.
“I have to say, in my considered opinion, we do the best 99s here. I’ve tested a 99 at every Open venue and these are definitely the biggest and the nicest so far,” enthused Harrington.
Word of Mouth
“Golf is just golf, and I’m trying to just play my game. That’s the attitude I’ve had all season long. Whether I’m the reigning US Open champion, yeah, there’s going to be some expectations, but I feel like this whole season I’ve been doing a good job of just trying not to let the moment feel bigger than itself” – JJ Spaun, the US Open champion, on trying to stay true to himself.
By the Numbers: 62
There are 62 bunkers on the Dunluce links, considerably fewer than at many other Open venues – Royal Lytham and St Annes have nearly 200, for instance – but the strategic location of the sand traps ensures they pose challenges for players.
