Rory McIlroy is already in Open Championship mode. The reigning champion of the Masters revealed this Wednesday, ahead of the Genesis Scottish Open, some details of the preparation with which he intends to arrive in the best possible condition at the final major of the year. From an almost clandestine visit to Royal Birkdale to study the course to several days of links practice in different corners of the United Kingdom, the Northern Irishman explained how he is sharpening instincts he considers essential to contend for the title.
Questioned about his tune-up ahead of the final major of 2026, Rory revealed that a few days ago he took advantage of a gap in his schedule to travel to Royal Birkdale Golf Club and begin studying the venue where The Open will be contested. The intention was to do it with absolute discretion, although the plan did not go exactly as he expected. “I would have liked nobody to know I was there, but Faldo couldn’t keep his phone still”, he joked with a laugh, referring to Nick Faldo, who accompanied him for part of the round.
The visit, however, proved very useful. “It allowed me to familiarise myself with some holes and to learn others that have changed since 2017. That means I arrive at Open week with less pressure, without the feeling of having to play the 18 practice holes to feel ready. If I want to play only nine, I will be able to do so”, he explained.
The world number two also analysed one of the major new features of the course, the new 15th hole, about which he still has certain doubts: “I’m still undecided. I think there will be pin positions where the hole can become too long. We’ll have to see during the tournament, but I think it is going to be one of the big talking points of the week”.
Beyond that inspection of Birkdale, McIlroy has spent weeks immersed in very specific preparation to regain his feel for the links. Based in the United Kingdom since mid-May, after the PGA Championship, he has taken the opportunity to play courses such as St Enodoc and to live again with the wind, the unpredictable bounces and the characteristic turf of this type of course.
“You start hitting the ball again off links turf, you play with more wind and the instincts return. Everything I grew up with resurfaces almost naturally, even when you just go out to enjoy a round with friends”, he said.
Precisely that mix of preparation and enjoyment has marked his recent weeks. McIlroy said he spent several days in Cornwall with the families of Luke Donald and Paul Lawrie, discovering a course he hadn’t even heard of that ended up surprising him. “I had never heard of St Enodoc and it turns out it’s one of the top one hundred courses in the world. It was a fantastic experience”, he commented.
Doing a bit of fieldwork for Sky Sports at Royal Birkdale, ahead of The Open… and look who I bumped into. 👀 pic.twitter.com/Hqaq8pM7XT
— Sir Nick Faldo (@Sir_NickFaldo) June 25, 2026
Before fully focusing on Birkdale, McIlroy has one last stop at the Genesis Scottish Open, a tournament he considers the perfect rehearsal for the final major of the year and whose venue, the Renaissance Club, he says he has learned to appreciate over time: “When I first came I wasn’t won over by this course. But every year I like it more. I think it has become a fantastic venue for this tournament”
