HOME HERO: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland made a late birdie for a 70 and was three shots behind. The last time he played the British Open at Royal Portrush, he made an 8 on the first hole, shot 79 and wound up missing the cut.

Rory McIlroy shot 1-under 70 in the first round of the British Open at Royal Portrush that is also serving as a homecoming for the Northern Irish star.

The British Open on Thursday at Royal Portrush ended with a five-way tie atop the leaderboard. Here are highlights and scores from the first round.

The "Golden Bear" and 18-time major winner won the first of his three Opens and completed the first of his three career grand slams along the southeastern Scottish coast in 1966, then called the par-71 layout "the best golf course in Britain."

Another bogey-free round belonged to 44-year-old Justin Rose, in the group at 69 that included 52-year-old Lee Westwood, former Open champion Brian Harman and Lucas Glover, who was tied for the lead until a pair of bogeys early on the back nine.

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Of the 20 LIV golfers in the field at the 2025 British Open, Phil Mickelson turned in perhaps the most surprising first round.

Padraig Harrington struck the first tee shot as the 153rd British Open started in cloudy conditions at Royal Portrush on Thursday.

The jug goes to the winner of the Open Championship, who is otherwise known as the champion golfer of the year. The face belongs to Shane Lowry, who won the Open in 2019, the last time it was played in Portrush, a seaside town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Malbon Golf dropped a new collection Thursday morning in collaboration with Bushmills, celebrating Northern Ireland's influence on the game of golf.

Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood are offering reminders that the British Open doesn't discriminate against older players.