“I always struggle to show up with motivation,” Rory McIlroy admitted, days before teeing off at Oakmont for the U.S. Open. After finally completing his decade-long dream of a career Grand Slam at the Masters, Rory confessed he was in no rush to chase the next big thing. “I think I’m allowed a little bit of time to relax,” he added. But if there was one tournament where he didn’t want to take it easy, it was the U.S. Open. Unfortunately, his performance didn’t quite match the intent. He finished a quiet T-19, far from the form that made him a legend at Augusta.

But with the final major of the season fast approaching, insiders are beginning to question McIlroy’s current form and whether he can rediscover the motivation he so clearly needs.

“Finally winning the green jacket at the Masters, but it has been a bit indifferent since then.” said golf insiders on the Golf Channel podcast. Since that emotional high at Augusta, McIlroy’s form has dipped. He finished tied for 47th at the 2025 PGA Championship, then missed the cut entirely at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open, his worst showing of the year, where he carded a rough 78 in the second round. So far, the world number two hasn’t won a single event since that Masters victory. But this time at the Open, it’s different, it’s a familiar course.

“Port Rush is sort of that tonic that pushes him over the top that finally allows him to get inspired…. Being back on this side of the pond is exactly what he needs,” said James Weir of Sky Sports, hoping that a return to home soil might reignite Rory McIlroy’s fire. This year’s Open Championship heads to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, Rory’s homeland and a place that holds deep personal meaning for him. At just 16, McIlroy stunned everyone by shooting a jaw-dropping 61 there, smashing the course record by three strokes. It’s the kind of memory that sticks.

“It’s a special time in this part of the world, being back on Northern Irish soil next week….will just allow Rory to just sort of breathe a sigh of relief, and think all is world with the world again,” said Weir, and maybe, just maybe, it’s the spark he needs to fill the motivation gap and get back to winning ways. While Rory had a special history with Royal Portrush, his return in 2019 came with some emotional moments too.

At the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews, Rory McIlroy led with nine holes to go and looked set to win his fifth major. But Cameron Smith stormed ahead with a brilliant 64, while Rory couldn’t convert key birdie chances and finished third. After the round, Rory gave a calm press conference, but once he got into a cart, he broke down in his wife Erica’s arms, overwhelmed by emotion. So yeah, a lot of mental breakdowns he has had with the event. “It’ll be a mental reset for him and exactly what he needs at exactly the right time.” Returning to his homeland might give him a comfort level that not even his fans could.

How Rory is Approaching Playing at Portrush?

Playing a major championship at Royal Portrush, in front of his home crowd, means more than rankings or prize money. As he put it himself, “If I can’t get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don’t know what can motivate me.” That single line says it all. Portrush is where his roots are, where his earliest golf memories were made. Coming back here offers something no other venue can: the comfort of familiarity and the emotional push of local pride.

Beyond nostalgia, McIlroy sees The Open at Portrush as his next great challenge, his next “mountain.” After finally winning the Masters in April and completing the career Grand Slam, he compared that achievement to climbing Everest. But now, he says, “An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those [mountains],” suggesting that winning here would hold a similar emotional weight. He’s not just preparing to win; he’s looking to reconnect with the game, in a place that feels like home. This year, it’s not about chasing perfection or silencing critics. It’s about playing with clarity, purpose, and maybe even peace.

And for Rory, that mindset is definitely the edge he truly needs.