Follow live as golf’s oldest major begins at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland with all eyes on local star Rory McIlroy

The Open Championship got underway at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Co. Antrim on Thursday and Rory McIlroy has been welcomed back in classic Paddy Power style. The Irish bookmaker, notorious for displaying gag signs at major sporting events,

You see the crowds, cameras and childlike excitement before you see Rory McIlroy – the local hero is somewhere in there applying the finishing touches to his game on the putting green before making the short walk over to the first tee.

PADDY Power have made a ballsy move by erecting a giant pair of underpants outside Royal Portrush as The Open tees off. The sign salutes local lad Rory McIlroy’s testicular fortitude when

Six years ago at Royal Portrush, McIlroy, who grew up less than an hour away, hit his opening shot out of bounds on the par-4 first on his way to a quadruple-bogey 8 and a 79. He pulled his tee shot again, this time around, but it settled safely in the left rough.

The last time the British Open came to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, Rory McIlroy missed the cut. Will he claim his second major of the year this time around?

Rory McIlroy is back at Royal Portrush for the Masters and admits he was taken aback by the volume of support he received when he played in his homeland six years ago