The child stood transfixed, overwhelmed by the moment, until reality crashed back when McIlroy had already moved 50 yards past. Panic flashed across the boy's face—had he missed his chance? He found his voice.

McIlroy could not reproduce his Saturday magic to catch Scottie Scheffler, but he still achieved a level of redemption at his home Open

So, this was weird: Rory McIlroy, playing his second shot from the rough on the 11th at Royal Portrush in Round 3 of the British Open, somehow managed to unearth another ball in mid-swing. The second ball was apparently embedded in the ground a few inches ahead of McIlroy's ball, and popped into the air as McIlroy's shot flew greenward.

McIlroy said Monday that he was overwhelmed by the reception he received six years ago in his home of Northern Ireland. Now a Grand Slam winner, he's ready for this week's championship.

The top two golfers in the world are firmly in contention at The Open with Scheffler out in front entering another major championship weekend

While Rory McIlroy’s Northern Ireland homecoming won’t have the fairytale finish of winning a second Claret Jug at Royal Portrush, the atmosphere surrounding his return was amongst the highlights of an unforgettable Open Championship.