Reality says Rory McIlroy isn’t going to hoist the Claret Jug on the 18th hole on Sunday evening here to deafening roars from the home fans.

Rory McIlroy found redemption at Royal Portrush six years after his nightmare 2019 missed cut, delivering the magical weekend Northern Ireland deserved.

How to watch every single shot from the biggest names in golf throughout Round 4 at the 2025 Open Championship

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Rory McIlroy gave the home crowds exactly what they craved on Saturday: He used the traditional third-round “moving day’’ to make a move up the leaderboard. McIlroy, who began the day at 3-under par, seven shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler, activated the huge Portrush crowds with a third-round 5-under-par 66.

So here is our final major big board of the year, ranking the top 30 golfers in the field. This is not simply the 30 best golfers in a vacuum. These are the 30 golfers that our crack team of Gabby Herzig, Hugh Kellenberger and Brody Miller believe are best suited to win this week at Royal Portrush.

Five facts about Rory McIlroy and his family, from his modest beginnings to world-renowned golf champion and family fan