It was a return six years in the making, and it was a return that perfectly encapsulated Rory McIlroy. Making the trek back to Royal Portrush for The Open Championship -- now as a career grand slam winner -- the Northern Irishman experienced a topsy-turvy day as the hard stuff came easy and the easy stuff came hard.

The Open Championship—the fourth and final major of the year—is set to tee off Thursday at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. While excitement builds for golf’s biggest names to take the course, it was world No.