Alex Maguire in fine locker room company with compatriots Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy

Champions’ locker room

Alex Maguire was looking in the wrong place in trying to find his locker at Royal Liverpool Golf Club ... and was pleasantly surprised to discover where his space for the week of this 151st Open was located.

“Me and my caddie (Jack) were looking and we saw Rob MacIntyre’s and (Hideki) Matsuyama’s and there was no locker for Maguire. I knew it must be around somewhere but couldn’t find it,” revealed the 22-year-old from Laytown, an international business graduate from Florida State and winner of the St Andrews Links Trophy this season.

He continued: “Then, one of the attendees came over and said there was a special place over in the corner and I walk over into the champions’ locker room and look in the corner and it’s Shane Lowry, Alex Maguire, Rory McIlroy. So I’m in the middle of those two, so what company to have put all the amateurs and people who have won something. I couldn’t stop smiling.”

Maguire’s exemption into the championship came after topping the R&A’s Amateur Open series and is a far cry from last year when he attended the championship at St Andrews as a spectator and stayed in a tent.

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And he comes in on a high after being part of the bronze medal winning Ireland team in the European Championships. “I’d like to go one better and get the silver medal this week,” said Maguire.

Carefree attitude

Rory McIlroy is making a habit of not conducting any official press conferences: he skipped one before the US Open in Los Angeles last month; and, having originally been scheduled for a Tuesday morning presser here at Royal Liverpool, the newly crowned Scottish Open champion has had a change of mind.

McIlroy played nine holes of practice with Pádraig Harrington and Shane Lowry and got a congratulatory hug on his Scottish Open success from singer Niall Horan before teeing off.

Although opting to stay clear of an official media conference, McIlroy – who jumped Jon Rahm to move to number two in the updated world rankings – did however have a brief chat with Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis between hitting shots.

“I feel really good about everything, I’m in a good spot ... (just) go out and play my golf and enjoy it. That’s always been the way I’ve played my best golf is playing with a bit of a carefree attitude and I’m able to do that. I’m pretty sure the byproduct of that is that I’ll be able to play some good golf,” said McIlroy.

Word of Mouth

“I feel like the Irish people have probably a little bit better connection with their sporting heroes. I feel like English fans, don’t get me wrong, they’re fantastic, but I just feel like that Irish connection, I remember being there obviously a lot more groups ahead of Shane (at Royal Portrush in 2019), but yeah, there was just something about it that was a lot different”

—  Matt Fitzpatrick when asked what it would be like to win an Open as an English player in England.

By the Numbers

16: Unlike the record heatwaves across much of southern Europe this week, things look set to be rather cooler on the east coast of England. Temperatures for Thursday’s opening round, for example, are predicted to be no higher than 16 degrees Celsius.

On this day: July 18th, 1993

His legacy may or may not yet be tainted by his brainchild of LIV and it’s redefining of men’s professional golf but Greg Norman’s win in The 122nd British Open at Royal St Georges at the time left nobody in any doubt of his golfing brilliance.

In a career which featured its share of heartbreaking collapses and bad slices of luck, the Great White Shark fired a final round 64 around Sandwich for a winning total of 13-under-par 267 to finish two strokes clear of his nemesis Nick Faldo and three ahead of Bernhard Langer.

Not one for downplaying himself, Norman afterwards remarked: “That was the best golf I’ve ever played in my life. I never mis-hit a shot. I’m not a person who boasts, but I’m in awe of myself and the way I hit the golf ball. It was perfect.”

Norman’s four-round total broke Tom Watson’s record low 72-holes total of 268 (at Turnberry in 1977) and his final round was the best ever by a winner, beating 65s by Watson (’77) and Seve Ballesteros (’88).

“He was invincible,” said Langer.

Twitter Twaddle

– Eddie Pepperell warning all comers about Rory McIlroy’s return to winning ways.

– Leona Maguire after a solo fourth place finish in the Aramco series in London, won by Nelly Korda. The Cavan golfer’s European stint continues next week in the Evian Championship in France, a Major on the LPGA Tour.

– Mark Power on Ireland’s men claiming third place (beating England in the bronze medal match).

In the Bag – Rory McIlroy

Genesis Scottish Open

Driver – TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (9 degrees)

3-wood – TaylrMade Stealth 2 Plus (15 degrees)

Irons – TaylorMade P760 (2), TaylorMade P760 (4-9), TaylorMade MG3 (PW)

Wedges – TaylorMade MG4 (50, 54 and 60 degrees)

Putter – TaylorMade Spider X Hydro Blast

Ball – TaylorMade TP5x

Know the Rules

Q Before playing a shot from some long grass, a player removes some loose impediments from around the ball. In doing so the player causes the ball to move. What is the ruling?

A The player gets a one stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced to its original position (Rule 15.1b).