The Open returns to Royal Portrush, where a teenage McIlroy once carved his name into golfing folklore with a record-breaking round that still defines his legend.
An Electric Round That Lit Up a Generation
This week, Royal Portrush is once again in the global spotlight as it hosts the 153rd Open Championship. But for those close to Rory McIlroy, the historic links will always be tied to a particular day in 2005 when a 16-year-old from Holywood did something unforgettable.
With curls bouncing under a white cap and a pink belt tying together a tour-pro-style outfit, McIlroy fired a course-record 61, a round that would go on to define the early mythology of a golfer many already believed was destined for greatness.
“It was just unbelievable,” said Aaron O’Callaghan, one of McIlroy’s playing partners that day. “He was a superstar in the making after that day.”
From Classmate to Crowdsurf
O’Callaghan first met McIlroy while the latter was still in primary school and quickly sensed something unusual: “I remember thinking not just best in Ireland, but best in the world?”
McIlroy, already known for swinging pure with cut-down clubs and rarely missing the center of the face, took a huge leap forward during the North of Ireland Championship that July. He opened modestly with a one-over 72 at the Valley Course. But then came the round at Dunluce that transformed murmurs into certainty.
What started with a small group of 20 onlookers swelled rapidly as news spread.
“We started with 25 people,” O’Callaghan recalls. “Then it became 50, 100… by the 16th, it felt like 1,000. Stevie [Crowe] and I were just passengers.”
The Shotmaking That Sparked a Crowd
Three under on the front nine didn’t hint at history. But after an eagle on 10, McIlroy’s momentum exploded.
“I knew he was playing well,” said O’Callaghan. “But I didn’t realize he was five under. From about then, I stopped thinking about my game and started watching his.”
Five straight birdies capped by a laser-guided monster putt on the 18th set the course alight.
“It was one of those Tiger Woods moments,” O’Callaghan said. “You could see it in Rory’s eyes. He knew it was in. Fist pump ready. Just electric.”
That final birdie sealed a 61 three strokes better than the previous record held by Randal Evans, who just happened to be in the group behind.
Randal Evans Had the Best Seat in the House
Evans, a friend and long-time observer of McIlroy’s career, remembered watching the transformation that day from the perfect vantage point.
“He dressed differently like he already belonged on the Tour,” Evans said. “White shoes, white trousers, pink belt. That only comes from being that good and that confident.”
He heard the cheer ripple across Portrush as McIlroy finished.
“From the 17th, I heard it and just thought, ‘Well, there it is.’ He came walking past me and I asked ‘61?’ And he goes, ‘Yeah, Randy,’ like it was nothing.”
Portrush’s Memory, McIlroy’s Motivation
That course record round at Portrush lives on in local folklore and in McIlroy’s memory he has said he can still recall every shot.
But the course hasn’t always been kind to him. When The Open returned in 2019, McIlroy’s dreams were derailed on day one with a quadruple bogey on the opening hole. A brilliant 65 in the second round wasn’t enough to undo the damage.
He missed the cut, and emotions overtook him.
Yet the same Rory who once seemed impervious to pressure at 16 has now become more human in fans’ eyes precisely because of those stumbles.
Talent and Trials in Equal Measure
From the Masters meltdown in 2011 to near-misses at LACC and St Andrews, McIlroy’s major journey has been defined by both breathtaking brilliance and painful letdowns.
Yet the early signs of his mental strength the kind that had him sharpening his focus as the crowd grew remain embedded in his DNA.
“He got into that zone or flow people talk about,” said O’Callaghan. “You could probably throw an orange at his head and he wouldn’t blink.”
As The Open returns to Portrush, that same zone may be required once again if McIlroy hopes to chase down major number six and reclaim the joy of that record-setting day two decades ago.
“Rory’s Rory,” said Evans. “Missing the cut last time was a shock, but he’ll fix that this time. I’m sure.”
