McIlroy makes amends in Portrush homecoming with first-round 70 at British Open

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Rory McIlroy experienced that sinking feeling again on the first hole at Royal Portrush.

OK, the returning hometown hero hadn’t hit his drive out-of-bounds this time. No spectator's phone had been smashed. He hadn’t made a quadruple bogey, either. So, for sure, this wasn’t as bad as 2019.

But McIlroy had just missed a par putt from 3 feet, eliciting groans from the spectators around the green who had flocked to the Dunluce Links on Thursday to welcome back their favorite son.

Was it happening again?

Not quite.

Six years after opening with a 79 and missing the cut when the British Open returned to this corner of his native Northern Ireland, McIlroy made partial amends with a 1-under 70 in his first round that at least hasn’t played him out of the tournament.

“I felt like I dealt with it really well today,” McIlroy said. “Certainly dealt with it better than I did six years ago.”

Yet it was far from perfect.

Starting with an opening shot that he pulled into wispy rough, McIlroy struggled off the tee throughout a turbulent round played in better-than-forecast conditions and to a backdrop of Rory mania.

He hit just two fairways — on Nos. 8 and 9 — all day, losing his cool at No. 17 after another drive left into deep rough.

“It was a tough enough day, especially either chopping out of the rough or out of the fairway bunkers most of the time,” McIlroy said. “So to shoot under par was a good effort.”

Yet the locals never stopped willing him on and the cries of “Come on, Rory” followed him around Portrush, even during a run of three bogeys in four holes from No. 11 when McIlroy's round was threatening to unravel as the wind picked up.

From being 3-under par after 10 holes, McIlroy was at even par as he faced a tough second shot at the 17th. He somehow hit it to 12 feet and holed the birdie putt.

There were throaty roars from the grandstand around No. 18 as he walked to the green for a 45-foot birdie putt that slipped by the hole. He tapped in, raised his putter and thanked his fans. They'll be back in droves on Friday morning, no doubt.

“I feel the support of an entire country out there, which is a wonderful position to be in,” he said, “but at the same time, you don’t want to let them down. So there’s that little bit of added pressure.”

Especially on the first tee, which McIlroy walked onto in 2019 not quite realizing the emotions he'd soon feel playing an Open on Northern Irish turf for the first time. He handled it badly and the wind that swept in off the North Atlantic coast wound up blowing him out of the tournament.

“This time I had a better idea of what was going to be coming my way,” he said.

In 2019, McIlroy started his second round 13 strokes off the lead and a charging 65 on Friday wasn't enough to make the weekend.

Six years later — and now in the exclusive career Grand Slam club — he is three shots back and very much in the mix for a second claret jug.

McIlroy and his legion of fans will definitely take that.

“I’m surprised 4 under is leading,” he said. "I thought someone might have gone out there and shot 6 or 7 (under) today.

“Only three back with 54 holes to go. I’m really happy with where I am.”

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland chips out of the rough on the 2nd hole during the first round of the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland watches the fight of the ball after he chiped out of the rough on the 2nd hole during the first round of the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland gestures as he walks on the 1st green during the first round of the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland reacts after putting on the 18th green during the first round of the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays out of the rough on the 4th hole during the first round of the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — African soccer is getting a major shake-up with the conversion of the biennial Africa Cup of Nations to a four-year cycle and creation of a new African Nations League competition.

Patrice Motsepe, the president of the Confederation of African Football, announced the changes Saturday during his press conference ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup hosted by Morocco.

Motsepe said the 2027 Africa Cup to be hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania will go ahead as planned and that the following edition — originally scheduled for 2029 — will be moved forward to take place in 2028. The next Africa Cup after that will be in 2032.

This would allow the first African Nations League to take place in 2029. Motsepe said it would involve each of the continent’s 54 members, divided into four geographical zones, with games in September and October before the finals are held in November.

“There’s going to be a competition every year where the best African players who play in Europe and worldwide will be with us on the continent,” Motsepe said.

He was unable to say when the 2028 Africa Cup could take place. Scheduling of Africa's premier national competition has been a consistent issue. This year's tournament was pushed back from a planned summer start so it wouldn't clash with FIFA’s new Club World Cup competition.

“What’s going to happen now is you’ll have the equivalent of an AFCON every year,” Motsepe said. “You’ll have the best African players in the world participating and playing in African football at the highest level in the continent every year.”

Motsepe, who was flanked by FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström for the announcement, said CAF was “in discussions with all our stakeholders and taking into account the global fixtures.”

Switching the Africa Cup to a four-year cycle takes it in line with UEFA's European Championship, the next of which will also be in 2028.

“The AFCON now will take place once every four years. Because historically the AFCON was the prime focus where we could get resources to fund African football. In terms of this new dispensation, we will be getting resources every year,” Motsepe said.

Having no Africa Cup in 2029 also means it won't clash with the next Club World Cup competition.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

People take photos outside Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which will host the opening and final game of the Africa Cup of Nations soccer competition, in Rabat, Morocco, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)