Tom McKibbin leads Irish as Rory McIlroy ‘wants to get back on horse’ after advice from Tiger Woods

The Newtownabbey native (21) makes his Open debut and second major appearance as he leads the six Irish competitors alongside Swede Alex Noren and Scottish amateur Calum Scott in the day’s second group.

“We played this morning at about 6:45, and I thought it was a little early to be playing golf, but I thought I could get a tee time around this time, and I did, so yeah, this morning was perfect.”

Rory McIlroy will begin his bid for the fifth major tournament at 10:09 CET, along with American Max Homa and Englishman Tyrrell Hatton. He believes he is ready for the challenge, having come to terms with his recent heartbreak at the US Open.

The Co Down player admitted he changed his jersey number two days after losing by one stroke to Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst and that he missed a message from Tiger Woods.

“Tiger has been nothing but incredible to me throughout my career, through the good and the bad,” McIlroy said.

“He sent me an incredible message after St Andrews in 2022. “I met Tiger when I was 15 years old, and I’ve built a great relationship with him and his whole family.”

He added: “It means a lot that he reached out. Actually, it means a lot that he waited a couple of days to reach out, which if he hadn’t waited so long, I probably would have gotten it.

“But I caught up with him earlier. It’s always nice when your hero and the man you had hanging on your bedroom wall reaches out to you and offers you words of encouragement.”

Woods revealed he waited a week to send McIlroy “a nice text” and that getting back into contention for another major tournament as soon as possible is the best way to get over Pinehurst.

“Actually, as you know, I’m your friend,” Woods said of his text. “I know this is a tough time. We’ve all been there as champions. We all lose.

“Unfortunately it just happened, and the emotion of it is still there, and I’m sure it will be for a while.

“The sooner he can get back on a horse and compete again, like he did last week, the better it will be for him.”

Clarke will start at 13:48 with Dean Burmester and JT Poston, while two-time Open champion Pádraig Harrington is out, with American Davis Thompson and Englishman Matthew Jordan at 14:15.

2019 champion Shane Lowry kicks off at 2.59pm, while Cameron Smith and Ryder Cup team-mate Matthew Fitzpatrick are determined to secure a second Claret Jug.

Rather than feeling the pressure is off after his win at Royal Portrush, Lowry said: “I think it actually adds more pressure.

“I feel like once you taste success you just want more. That’s just the way it is. I feel like I want to win another one so bad.”

He added jokingly, “Give me one more and I’ll be happy. That’s all I want. Is that too much to ask?”

Galway amateur Liam Nolan will start in the day’s third-to-last group, along with fellow Spanish amateur Jaime Montojo Fernandez and New Zealander Kazuma Kobori at 16:05.