McIlroy feeling good ahead of The Open 

Rory McIlroy may have missed the cut last week in Scotland, but the four time Major winner said he found something in his swing and feels good ahead of the final Major of the year at Royal St. George's.

When McIlroy missed the cut at Royal Portrush during Shane Lowry's maiden Major victory in 2019, he came away disappointed but determined.

"If anything, it was a catalyst for me to play some of my best golf," said McIlroy.

"I left Portrush obviously very disappointed, but by February of 2020, a few months down the line, I got back to No. 1 in the world. So I didn't dwell on it that much."

But McIlroy's ability to bounce-back from a missed cut and then go on to immediately elevate his game was not a one-off. In fact, it's something he has continually repeated over the years: On three separate occasions over the last three years where he has missed the cut, the former World Number One has then lifted the trophy at his next event.

It's something McIlroy is all too aware of, and after missing the cut at last week's abrdn Scottish Open, he is hopeful that this week could be another of those times he turns disappointment in to opportunity.

"I've always learnt more from disappointments and from not doing as well," he continued.

"I've always tried to figure out, okay, why did this week not go so well, and then you give yourself a couple of thoughts and they're fresh in your mind going into the next week. That's why I say in golf there's always next week, and that's a great thing, because you can right some wrongs pretty quickly.

"I've been able to do that in the past. I missed the cut at Memorial a couple years ago, went down and won the Canadian Open the next week. Yeah, missed the cut at the Masters and then went and my next start was Quail Hollow and I won. Golf always just gives you another opportunity to go out and play well and to see if you've learned from your mistakes, and I've always made it a priority in my career to really try to learn from my mistakes, all the way back to what happened at Augusta in '11 and going and winning the U.S. Open the next major.

"You never want to miss a cut, as you say, but as missed cuts go, this wasn't necessarily a bad one. I wasn't planning on playing the Scottish Open a few weeks ago anyway, so just to get a couple of competitive rounds in and just learn a little bit more and figure out what I need to do.

"Look, it would have been great to stay and play an extra couple days in Scotland, but to be down here and get a few holes in on Saturday, play a full round on Sunday, felt like I got a bit of a head start on the rest of the field, which feels good. It means now that I didn't even play any holes yesterday. I played 11 today. I'm probably going to go out early tomorrow and play 18. But I just meant that I can take it a bit easier, not feel like I'm trying to cram all the preparation in."

And over those few days, McIlroy said that despite recent struggles with his swing, he feels like he found something on Sunday that will help him this week.

"I feel good. I've hit the ball really good in practice the last few days. I feel like I figured something out on Sunday here, which has been really good. I hit the ball great on the range yesterday, and I hit the ball well today on the course. It's hard. You're going -- thinking a swing so much, and it's really about trying to get that blend of getting your mechanics right but then also letting your athletic ability and your instincts shine through, as well. It's just been trying to get that balance.

"As I said, I feel like I figured something out on Sunday, and I feel good with it. I feel good about where I am going into the week."

In McIlroy's favour too, is an enviable record at The Open over the last decade.

Following his victory at Hoylake in 2014, McIlroy has come close on numerous occasions, finishing in a tie for fifth (2016), fourth (2017) and second to Francesco Molinari during his victory in Carnoustie in 2018.

"I think over the last few years, The Open has been my -- you know, my best performances in major championships have been at this event," said McIlroy, who is hopeful of continuing his success in this championship.

"I guess had a good chance to at least put some pressure on Francesco at Carnoustie in 2018 and I didn't birdie the last there. It's been good. Even though I've sort of grown up on links courses and played a lot of links golf, still, when you turn professional, 90 per cent, 95 per cent of the golf you play isn't this style of golf, so you always have to adjust a little bit.

"Over the years I've just become more and more comfortable with this style of golf, and I think more than anything else, there's a lot more variables in the Open Championship and on links courses. Once you learn that you can't control those variables, then you just have to go out and accept whatever is given to you. I think as I've gotten a little more experience and matured, I've been able to play this championship a little bit better, and hopefully I can continue that record this week."