McIlroy's second victory of the season followed his only missed cut of 2019 in the Memorial Tournament and gave the former world No 1 a timely confidence boost.

DEREK LAWRENSON - WORLD OF GOLF: Rory McIlroy has been made the joint favourite to win this week's US Open. Here are six reasons for McIlroy backers to be cheerful.

Under-fire organisers of the US Open have admitted it is 'critical' they get it right at Pebble Beach this week after four years of controversy.

Rory McIlroy says he is feeling more confident than at any time since 2016 as he bids to end his wretched run at the US Open.

Rory McIlroy made a healthy start to the US Open on Thursday night as he shot up the leaderboard with a three-under par round of 68. 

MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER AT PEBBLE BEACH: After years of woe in the US Open first round, Rory McIlroy delivered arguably his strongest opening day since 2014.

DEREK LAWRENSON AT PEBBLE BEACH: One month to go until the biggest sporting event the province has seen, and the boys from Northern Ireland are building up a head of steam.

Rory McIlroy says victory at next month's Open Championship would be the 'most special' of his career.

Rory McIlroy arrived at the ASI Scottish Open thinking that if he could muster four rounds of 67, he'd have a good chance of claiming his first victory in Scotland.

Rory McIlroy has admitted defeat in his quest to land the Scottish Open title but believes his game is sharp enough to contend for the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush.

IAN LADYMAN AT ROYAL PORTRUSH: Few will find their return to this wonderful stretch of links more poignant than Bezuidenhout. It was here that the 25-year-old was banned for two years.

BETTING GUIDE: The 2019 Open Championship. Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka are heavily fancied. But who else is worth a punt? CHRIS CUTMORE makes his picks here.

MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER AT ROYAL PORTRUSH: To be on the coastline of County Antrim this week is to see a country beaming its most toothsome smile.

MARTIN SAMUEL AT ROYAL PORTRUSH: Rory McIlroy was far from being stirred by Northern Ireland's first Open since 1951 - it was as if he momentarily forgot how to play or what it all meant.

DEREK LAWRENSON AT ROYAL PORTRUSH: What a weird and wonderful first round at the 148th Open. One where the Masters champion barely broke 80.

RIATH AL-SAMARRAI AT ROYAL PORTRUSH: After the choke came the roar. Unfortunately for Rory McIlroy, it wasn't quite loud enough to change the outcome of this sorry and soggy trip home.

An emotional Rory McIlroy was left holding back tears after missing the cut in The Open at Royal Portrush by a shot following a valiant six-under par second round of 65. 

DEREK LAWRENSON AT PORTRUSH: Paul McGinley compares Rory McIlroy to the brightest schoolboy in the classroom who has a tendency to daydream every now and then. 

Lowry stormed to his very first major win on Sunday, cruising home by six shots at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. By contrast McIlroy missed Friday's cut by one shot.

DEREK LAWRENSON AT PORTRUSH: On Sunday evening at Royal Portrush, they drank a marquee dry. Then they moved on to Dublin town. The Claret Jug has embraced the party animal.

The 32-year-old won The Open Championship at Royal Portrush on Sunday, becoming the fifth Irish player to lift the Claret Jug after Fred Daly, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy has won two tournaments this season and is the No 1 on the PGA Tour when it comes to the two most important categories concerning play from tee to green but he struggled at The Open.

Rory McIlroy grabbed a one-shot lead over Brooks Koepka in the third round at the WGC-St. Jude Invitational in Memphis on Saturday, setting up the prospect of a mouth-watering finale.

Now we know how to get Brooks Koepka interested in events outside the majors. Just stick Rory McIlroy next to him going into the final round.

Rory McIlroy embarrassed Matt Kuchar in hilarious fashion during a sponsor's event, leaving his rival squirming and world No 1 Brooks Koepka in fits of laughter.

Koepka sought out DeChambeau on the putting green before the start of the final round on Sunday, while Englishman Eddie Pepperell characteristically took no prisoners.

DEREK LAWRENSON - WORLD OF GOLF: Are we about to see a genuine rivalry break out in golf? Goodness knows, there have been enough false dawns.

He's less than two months away from celebrating seven years of marriage to Jessica Biel, with whom he raises four-year-old son Silas.

The feat placed him above celebrity competitors Michael Pena, Dennis Quaid, Anthony Mackie, professional golfer Rory McIlroy and One Direction star Niall.

Andres Romero opened up a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the Omega European Masters but Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy were well in contention in Switzerland.

It's not only the Masters at Augusta that continues to be an elusive target for Rory McIlroy. The European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre keeps slipping from his grasp as well.

McIlroy added another award to his trophy cabinet as he was named the PGA Tour Player of the Year for a third time following a 2018-19 campaign capped by his FedExCup championship triumph.

The singer indulged in one of his other passions as he played golf on the Old Course at St Andrews at the preview for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Tuesday.

DEREK LAWRENSON AT ST ANDREWS: Rory McIlroy rounded off a fortnight's golf in Britain with six straight birdies on Sunday and a pointed barb in the direction of the European Tour.

Once the winner of the £170 million EuroMillions jackpot gets their hands on the cash, they'll be richer than singer Ed Sheeran, golfer Rory McIlroy and Queen's Brian May.

Brooks Koepka has poked a little bit of fun at Rory McIlroy after being asked whether there is a rivalry between the two players. He doesn't consider McIlroy a rival after his poor form in majors.

It's Hot or Not time again as Sportsmail's Riath Al-Samarrai reveals what's been making him feel warm and what's been leaving him cold this week.

Speaking ahead of his title defence at last week's CJ Cup in South Korea, world number one Koepka was asked about his rivalry with McIlroy and said: 'I've been out here for what, five years?

Every was suspended from the PGA Tour for violating its drug policy, even though he said that the ban was for cannabis, for which he claims to have a prescription on medical grounds.

Rory McIlroy believes America isn't taking the coronavirus seriously enough, amid rumours that contingency plans are being drawn up for the Masters to be played behind closed doors.

The star's boyfriend, who celebrated his birthday one day prior, also took to social media to show off his pretty lady and his growing baby.

The himaker, 36, showed the two boys she shares with husband Mike Fisher, 39, Isaiah, four, dressed as The Grinch and nine-months-old baby Jacob dressed as a Cheer Bear in a snap on Thursday

Heidi Klum's Halloween costume was inspired by her husband's belief in aliens. The 46-year-old model decided to dress as a gory part-robot and part-alien, which featured a set of intestines and muscles.

The 34-year-old reality star and her producer husband, 42, really got into the spirit of Halloween when they were spotted in their fun outfits on Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles.

Britney Spears waited until the day after Halloween to show off-to 23 million Instagram followers-her Alice in Wonderland costume. She wasn't the only Britney Spears out in Hollywood this year.

San Diego police said that a man, dressed in a white robe and red sash as shown, walked up to a police officer who was trying to arrest someone else and then punched the cop in the face.

Cardi B put her curvaceous figure on full display in a behind-the-scenes video shot by her husband Offset. The rapper was glimpsed from behind in an edit-free shot of her Poison Ivy costume.

The eldest child of David and Victoria Beckham, 20, cut a casual figure as he wore a pair of jeans with a white T-shirt.

The Bodak Yellow artist performed to a packed house at KAOS Nightclub. She also opted for Poison Ivy as her Halloween inspiration for another costume she posted to Instagram.

Emily Ratajkowski flaunted her lean curves in a pink crop top and underwear as she and husband Sebastian Bear-McClard dressed up as Carmela and Tony Soprano for Halloween.