Rory McIlroy has been in impressive form this season, securing three wins in his eight professional starts so far. The highlight of his year came with a historic victory at the 2025 Masters Tournament, marking his first-ever win at Augusta National.
Following this achievement, many in the golf community have speculated that McIlroy’s success might be the reason behind a surge in expected attendance at The Open Championship. However, R&A CEO Mark Darbon downplayed this notion. According to him, the anticipated crowd of 278,000 from Thursday through Sunday is not solely due to McIlroy’s recent win but rather the result of long-term planning.
You can check the video of McIlroy’s triumph at the Masters below:
Darbon emphasized that preparations for The Open have been in motion for quite some time. He mentioned that ticket demand was already high, with nearly 1.1 million applications received the previous summer. The R&A has since increased the event’s capacity by over 40,000 compared to 2019, which he credits for enabling more fans to attend.
McIlroy’s connection to The Open dates back to 2007, when he made his debut in the tournament. Over the years, he has played in 15 additional editions, with his standout performance coming in 2014 when he claimed the title by defeating Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia.
The 2025 Open Championship is scheduled to take place at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland—McIlroy’s home turf. This setting, along with his current form, makes him a leading contender for another Open title. Darbon acknowledged this and expressed enthusiasm for McIlroy’s return to Portrush, describing it as a chance for the golfer to settle “unfinished business” on the course.
In the same press conference, Darbon shared that he had recently written to McIlroy to congratulate him on his Masters win. He reflected on the privilege of interacting with top-tier players like McIlroy and noted the golfer’s eagerness to compete at Royal Portrush once again.
McIlroy’s last appearance at The Open came in 2024, where he failed to make the cut—his only early exit in a major tournament that year. With that in mind, many are eager to see how he performs this time around at a venue that holds both personal and professional significance.