PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — The moment that surprised Rory McIlroy the most when he played the 2019 Britidh Open at Royal Portrush—the first Open held in his home country of Northern Ireland since 1951—was the ovation on the first tee.

Rory McIlroy believes he got everything he could have wished for out of his return to Royal Portrush for The Open, other than a second Claret Jug.