Sergio Garcia is back in action at the 153rd Open Championship, held at Royal Portrush. After missing the last two Open Championships, Garcia earned his spot through his LIV Golf performances, becoming the first player to do so. As he walked off the 18th green in the first round, Garcia was given a hero’s welcome, with the crowd applauding and shouting his name. He appreciated the moment, greeting the fans with a wave of his hat before signing a ball for a young fan. He is currently sitting at the T57 spot with a score of one over par.

Despite his own challenges, Garcia’s calm demeanor was evident in his words when he was asked about playing in front of a home crowd, a situation Rory McIlroy is currently facing as he ties for 13th spot with Keegan Bradley. Speaking to this very scenario at The 153rd Open, Garcia noted, “I don’t know. I mean, it’s just another tournament at the end of the day.”

He added that while playing at home can be a unique experience, having done so himself at Valderrama the previous week, the game remains the same. “You’re still hitting the same kind of shots. That doesn’t change. It just depends on how you take it.” Given Garcia’s own struggles at the 2019 Open Championship, where he finished T67 with a score of 6 over par, his words seem laced with a hint of ‘easier said than done’.

Garcia emphasized that it’s all about mindset, saying, “You can take it as putting extra pressure on yourself, or you can take it as enjoying it because you’re playing in front of your home crowd.” Well, this is something McIlroy can relate to. Despite struggling to find fairways in blustery conditions, McIlroy credited the incredible support from the crowd for his resilience, saying, “Absolutely incredible… I feel the support of an entire country, which is a wonderful position to be in, but at the same time, you don’t want to let them down.” It is clear that McIlroy doesn’t want to make the same mistake he did in 2019. Hwever, he further added that, “I’m very excited… to play … in this atmosphere in front of these crowds,” definitely the emotional boost he needed for the links.

This experience highlighted the importance of mindset when playing at home, a concept Garcia understands well. Garcia admitted that he’s always enjoyed playing at home, but acknowledged that it can cut both ways. Still, his advice to McIlroy would be to simply enjoy the experience – a tall order for someone who’s tasted bitter defeat on the same turf.

Rory McIlroy is confident of his game at the Royal Portrush

Rory McIlroy is feeling pretty chipper about his chances at Royal Portrush. After a solid second-round 69, the world number two is sitting pretty, albeit five shots behind clubhouse leader Brian Harman. McIlroy’s got a decent feel about him, reckoning he’s “somewhat close to his best” despite the weight of expectation.

He’s been known to crack under the pressure, but this time around, he’s all about making a run. “I’m going to need to have it all under control and have it sort of all firing over the weekend to make a run,” he said, which sounds like a solid plan. McIlroy’s got a point, though — Royal Portrush is a beast of a course. “This golf is very demanding,” he noted, and you’d have to agree.

The way the holes are laid out, it’s all about picking off those birdies on the easy holes and holding on for dear life on the tougher ones. Still, with the support of the home crowd behind him, McIlroy’s got a good chance of making a strong push. Can he capitalize on his good form and bring home the Claret Jug? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below!