Rory McIlroy takes heart from Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon triumph

If Rory McIlroy needed any further incentive to win a second Open Championship, it was delivered by another sport. Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon triumph, his first since 2015, resonated with the Northern Irishman as he looks to reclaim the Claret Jug he won at Royal Liverpool four years ago.

“The Open is massive and I was very honoured to win it,” McIlroy said. “Seeing Novak winning Wimbledon, he hadn’t won it in a while, and the emotion he showed after that was really cool. Golfers and tennis players are similar in the sense that they’re both trying to win four tournaments and it is a huge deal. And if you’ve won some, you really want to win more.”

The time lapsed since McIlroy was in the winner’s circle at a major is explained in part by two serious injuries. “Four years is nothing in a career in golf but at the same time, at the rate I was winning them, yes, it feels a long time,” McIlroy acknowledged.

That his season to date is regarded by some as mediocre is also strange. McIlroy has a single PGA Tour victory to his name this season, the same as Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas. Jordan Spieth has not won since the Open of 2017.

McIlroy senses salvation may arrive in Scotland. During 18 holes in the company of Jon Rahm early on Monday the four-times major champion used his driver with great regularity. Burnt Carnoustie fairways – and more importantly, thin rough – offer opportunity, McIlroy believes. This marks an alternative strategy to that of the majority of the field, who will be using irons from most par-four tees.

McIlroy added: “Jon and I had good chat and the way the rough is, there’s not much of it, someone like us who can fly it over 300 yards, you’re basically taking all the trouble out of play on a lot of holes. Obviously you have to pick your points but I think you’ll see the big hitters play very aggressively. Get it down there with wedge in hand and you’ve got a big advantage.

“I never thought in the past of hitting driver at the 1st here but if you hit it own the left there you can get it on the green.

“I alluded to this at the Irish Open, as time goes on see trouble more but it’s interesting playing a practice round with Jon. He just hits driver and I’m thinking: ‘I used to do that.’ If you can do that, it’s a big advantage.”

A stout defence of McIlroy arrived later day from Padraig Harrington, who won the Open here in 2007. Harrington believes criticism of McIlroy has been misplaced.

“Rory’s obviously played well this year and yet seems to be getting a lot of press saying he’s not playing so well,” said Harrington. “It took 20 years for Jack Nicklaus to get 18 majors. For the eights and the nines there with Tom Watson and Gary Player, you’ll find it took 20 years too, certainly 15 years. And you’re judging Rory over seven years. Give him another seven years and see if he’s got eight in the bag. Are we disappointed with that then?

“Rory is well on pace to get into double digits with majors but it has got harder. There’s no doubt there’s more players out there who are capable of having a big week and a big game for a major. It makes it tough. But the reality, when you start looking, is some of the best players have still got one or no major or two majors. So Rory’s doing pretty well at four.”

Harrington insisted only the bold can prevail in the 147th Open. “You’re going to have to take some risk,” he said. “The beauty of the golf course is there’s a lot of different ways of playing it but eventually you’re going to have to grow up and hit the shots.”

McIlroy will be accompanied by Marc Leishman and Thorbjorn Olesen while Tiger Woods will begin his bid to win a 15th major in the company of Russell Knox and Hideki Matsuyama. The 1985 champion, Sandy Lyle, in his last Open, will strike the first tee shot.

Selected tee times