The British Open returns to Royal Portrush and it should be quite the homecoming for Rory McIlroy. He'd love nothing more than to win golf's oldest championship on his home soil of Northern Ireland.

Rory McIlroy showed the utmost respect for the sporting longevity he himself has achieved and gave examples of stars from other sports in comparison.

Click here for live updates from Friday's round.) The PGA Tour is across the pond this week for the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open, the 31st of 36 regular-season events on the calendar this year.

Rory McIlroy finished two-under after his opening round at the Scottish Open - a strong card considering his bogey on the opening hole - in large part thanks to a miraculous par save

Rory McIlroy is in northern Scotland for the Scottish Open, the final warm-up event ahead of The Open at St Andrews, and it's clear to see the world No. 2's star is as bright as ever

McIlroy has played this event twice since he became co-sanctioned in 2022, winning in 2023 and finishing T-4 last year. He closed well at the U.S. Open and carried that over into the Travelers Championship where he tied for sixth, so he's gaining some momentum as he regains his focus before next week's Open.

Speaking ahead of the Scottish Open, McIlroy said that longevity was an “under appreciated” part of an athletic career, and shouted out some fellow sporting veterans such as Novak Djokovic, who just advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals at 38.