Rory McIlroy is ready for a new challenge after 'climbing his Everest' with a Masters victory and now has his sights set on the Open Championship in Portrush next month.
McIlroy capped a tough week at the U.S. Open on Sunday, putting some of the demons of the Oakmont course that plagued him over the first three days behind him.
The 36-year-old produced his best game of the tournament, showing the precision and finesse he lacked on Thursday and Friday to shoot three under par (67) and then finish seven over par.
But it's not just the struggles at Oakmont that have left him feeling unsure this week, McIlroy is still suffering from a hangover from that historic win at Augusta in April, when he became only the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam.
He admitted he needs time to regain his focus and knows next month's Open Championship on his home soil in Northern Ireland is the place to do it.
“Look, I did my Everest in April and I think after achieving something like that you need to find another mountain to climb,” he said. “The Portrush Open is certainly one of them.
“If I can’t find the motivation to play the Open at home, I don’t know what will motivate me.
“I just need to get into the right frame of mind. I probably haven't been in that frame of mind for the last few weeks.”
The year's final Grand Slam is next month just 65 miles from where he grew up and played in Holywood, and it will be his first visit to Northern Ireland since winning the green jacket and completing the set.
“I would love to play the Portrush Open in (2019) and experience those feelings again, which were probably unexpected for me at the time,” he added.
“Obviously this will be my first time back home in public since winning the Masters. It should be a really cool week.
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“Hopefully I can celebrate this moment with them on Sunday night, enjoying a glass of Bordeaux and wearing a green jacket.
“It will be great to come home and play in this atmosphere, see a lot of people I haven't met yet. I'm looking forward to it.
“It was nice to finish this week
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
