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 final major of the season is here. Follow along for live updates, scores, highlights and more from the first round of the 2025 British Open.

The 2025 Open Championship continues on Friday, July 18 when the second round tees off at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, Northern Ireland.

It is the first time in major championship history that five or more men, each playing under different flags, were tied for the lead.

Open Championship continues with second round action on Friday. Here are tee times and groupings for Round 2 at Royal Portrush.

Tony Finau was sailing along just fine until he stumbled with a bogey on the par-4 17th in the first round of the British Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland on Thursday. He is tied for 20th with a round of 1-under-par 70.

In just 72 holes, a player can turn a somewhat-mundane season into a memorable one, a memorable season into a historic one and a historic season into one of an all-time great campaign. That's what is on the line this week at the 2025 Open Championship as Royal Portrush hosts the final major of the season in Northern Ireland.

Even the No. 1 player in the world -- who opted for a fairway wood -- missed the fairway left Thursday. Scottie Scheffler was able to still make par, but plenty others were not; the hole saw over four times as many bogeys, or worse, as birdies.

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 Open returned to Royal Portrush in 2019 when Irishman Shane Lowry won his first major title, and the only one of his career thus far. His 15-under winning score was six strokes ahead of the runner-up, Tommy Fleetwood. Lowry became the second Irishman after Pádraig Harrington's two Open wins.

While Amen Corner in Augusta spans three holes, Royal Portrush's Calamity Corner is just one hole: No. 16 — a 236-yard par 3. The wind swept dunes and overgrown rough surrounding the green make this hole an absolute nightmare for those who miss the putting surface.