TROON: Rory McIlroy is aiming to bounce back from his heartbreak at the US Open, while world number one Scottie Scheffler looks to round off a stunning season when the British Open begins in Troon on Thursday. The final major of the year gives McIlroy the chance to quickly forget blowing two short putts at Pinehurst last month which cost him the chance to end a decade-long major drought as Bryson DeChambeau won by one shot.

McIlroy has avoided the spotlight since, returning to play for the first time at last week’s Scottish Open, where he finished tied for fourth when defending his title. The world number two has finished in the top 10 in five of the last seven British Opens, part of his 21 top-10 finishes since last winning a major. McIlroy conceded he had let a “huge opportunity” pass him by at the US Open as he missed twice from inside four feet at the 16th and the 18th. But the Northern Irishman remains confident he can harness the hurt of his major heartbreak to add to the sole British Open he won in 2014.

“I’ll only know the impact (of the US Open) if I get myself in a similar position on Sunday,” McIlroy said of his chances in Troon. “Hopefully I get myself in that position again, and if I do, I know I’ll handle it a little bit better.” Scheffler looks the man to beat despite so far failing to take his world leading form on the PGA circuit in America across the Atlantic to the challenge of links golf. The American’s best previous showing at the British Open was a tie for eighth in 2021. Scheffler has won six times in 14 starts this year but added just one major by winning his second Masters in April. His challenge at the USPGA Championship was distracted after being arrested in bizarre circumstances on the morning of his second round before all charges were dropped.

DeChambeau’s US Open win was a rare major success for players who have defected to the breakaway LIV tour, but continued his fine form this season. The American finished sixth at the Masters and runner-up in the USPGA Championship behind a record-breaking tally of 21 under par set by Xander Schauffele before claiming his second US Open.

But DeChambeau has recognised he will have to alter his game after struggling previously in the windy links conditions. Tiger Woods makes his return to Britain after missing last year’s event. The three-time winner has dismissed talk of imminent retirement despite playing sparingly since a serious car accident in 2021.

Indeed, Woods believes the conditions on a links course give him a better chance to compete than the longer hitting needed in the US. “I’ll play as long as I can play and I feel like I can still win the event,” said the 15-time major champion.

“The older you get the less you can carry the golf ball but over here, you can run the golf ball 100 yards if you get the right wind and the right trajectory. “I think that’s one of the reasons why you see older champions up there on the board because they’re not forced to have to carry the ball 320 yards any more.”

The field are battling for a prize pot worth a total $17.5 million with the winner scooping $3.1 million. Fans will be in for plenty of entertainment should there be a repeat of the last Open played at Troon. Henrik Stenson outgunned Phil Mickelson in a Sunday shootout for the Claret Jug in 2016 with the Swede posting a then record 20 under par to win a major. – AFP