The Open

  1. Two-time champion Harrington to hit opening tee shot

    Padraig HarringtonGetty Images

    Padraig Harrington is the most recent back-to-back Open champion

    Two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington will hit the opening tee shot at this year's tournament at Royal Portrush.

    The 53-year-old Irishman, who clinched back-to-back Claret Jugs in 2007 and 2008, will open play early on Thursday.

    Harrington won his first Open title at Carnoustie in 2007, beating Sergio Garcia in a dramatic play-off after starting the final round six shots back.

    He successfully defended in horrendous conditions at Royal Birkdale 12 months later, carding an impressive closing 69 to finish four shots clear of England's Ian Poulter.

    Harrington, who also held off Garcia to win the 2008 US PGA Championship, missed the cut at the 2019 Open at Royal Portrush.

  3. Huge crowds gather for McIlroy's practice round

    Matt Gault
    BBC Sport NI senior journalist at Royal Portrush

    Rory Mcilroy signs autographs for fansGetty Images

    McIlroy signed a large assortment of flags, hats and gloves for fans after finishing his Monday practice round

    Golf fans descended in great numbers on Monday morning to catch Rory McIlroy's first practice round at Royal Portrush ahead of this week's Open.

    Having arrived in Northern Ireland late on Sunday after missing out on a second Scottish Open title, McIlroy was out early for his first look at the Dunluce Links.

    McIlroy's dramatic career Grand Slam-clinching Masters win in April has raised expectations that the 36-year-old can win the Claret Jug on home soil after missing the cut in 2019.

    The world number two - who won his Open title at Hoylake in 2014 - delighted the sizeable galleries on Monday morning, holing a birdie putt on the 18th green before signing autographs for 15 minutes.

    McIlroy is due to speak to the media at 14:00 BST on Monday, followed by 2019 champion Shane Lowry at 15:00 BST.

    Rory McIlroy
    Fans wait for Rory McIlroy's autograph
    Fans waiting for Rory McIlroy's autograph

  4. Schauffele, Lowry and Hojgaard on the course

    The defending champion Xander Schauffele is out on the course getting a feel for Royal Portrush on Monday.

    Also out there is a man who knows what it takes to win on this course - Shane Lowry.

    The 2019 Open champion is playing with Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard on Monday.

    Xander SchauffeleGetty Images
    Xander SchauffeleGetty Images
    Shane Lowry and Rasmus HojgaardGetty Images
    Rasmus HojgaardGetty Images

  5. Watch: Darren Clarke's Guide to Portrush

    Darren Clarke's Guide to PortrushBBC Sport

    Ahead of this week's tournament, BBC Sport NI got some exclusive access to Royal Portrush with none other than 2011 Open Champion Darren Clarke.

    He gave Stephen Watson a tour of the course and a guide to how to play, and possible win, at Portrush.

    You can watch the film here on the BBC iPlayer right now.

  6. McIlroy out on the course

    World number two Rory McIlroy arrived back in Northern Ireland on Sunday evening after contesting the Scottish Open final round - and he's one of the first out on the Dunluce course on Monday.

    Rory McIlroyGetty Images
    Rory McIlroyGetty Images
    Rory McIlroyGetty Images
    Rory McIlroy signs autographs for fans Getty Images

  7. Welcome to Portrush

    The Open Championship at Royal PortrushGetty Images

    The best golfers in the world have descended on the Northern Irish town of Portrush for the 153rd Open Championship.

    Six years after Shane Lowry lifted the famous Claret Jug on the Dunluce course, one of the world's biggest sporting events is back on the north coast of Northern Ireland.

    This page will be your dedicated resource for everything from the Open Championship as BBC Sport takes you through every twist and turn in the crowning of 2025's 'Champion Golfer of the Year'.

    Alongside our live radio and text coverage throughout the week, we'll aim to bring you some of the press conferences from the likes of Rory McIlroy and defending champion Xander Schauffele alongside expert analysis from our golf correspondent Iain Carter and reporters on the course.

    Just hit the 'follow' button on website or app to add it to your 'MySport' feed.

  8. Seb Cave plays a shot

  9. Padraig Harrington shakes hands with Sergio Garcia after beating him to the 2007 Open Championship title, while holding the Claret Jug and Rory McIlroy looks on

  10. Ireland's Shane Lowry kisses the Claret Jug after winning the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland

  11. Two girls are smiling at the camera. They both have long blonde hair an are wearing black sunglasses. The girl on the left is wearing a white top and the girl on the right is wearing a pink shirt and black cap.

  12. Shane Lowry with the Claret Jug after winning the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush

  13. When did McIlroy last play Portrush..?

    Richard Winton
    BBC Sport Scotland

    Rory McIlroyGetty Images

    It would be easy to think an Open Championship at his home course would have dominated Rory Mcllroy's thoughts these past while.

    But it would be an inaccurate assumpion to make. When did the Northern Irishman last play Royal Portrush?

    "Friday the whatever of July 2019," he said, dismissively referring to his second round the last time the event was on the Antrim coast. An event that started with an appalling tee shot and ended with McIlroy missing the cut.

    "Harry was there last week," he added, referring to caddy Harry Diamond.

    "They've added a little bit of length to a couple of holes - four and seven - and they've changed the seventh green but everything else is the same."

  14. Rory McIlroy smiles past the camera as he holds a golf putter. He is wearing a grey sweatshirt and a white cap.

  15. Rory McIlroy wears a white cap and grey polo shirt. He wears a white glove in his left hand. He looks like he has just finished a swing and is holding a driver in his hands. He is looking up into the air like he is following the ball. There is blurred greenery behind him.

  16. Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy

  17. Nathan Kimsey poses with a pin flag after qualifying for the Open during final qualifying

  18. Harry Hall watches on after teeing off

  19. Peter Finch

  20. Ian Poulter at a LIV Golf event

  21. Sian is wearing glasses and smiling while looking directly at the camera. She is standing in front of the beach in Ballycastle with Fairhead cliff in the background. Sian is wearing a burgundy cardigan and dark top.

  22. A girl wearing glasses and a yellow polo shirt looks in the camera. In the background is a grassy lawn, like the fairway of a golf course, and a white wooden fence.

  23. A young girl wears a yellow Hi-Viz vest. Underneath she wears a blue jumper and yellow polo shirt. Behind her is the back of a large navy stand. There is a green grass putting green over her right shoulder.

  24. A white jet with a blue stripe photographed from the ground against a blue sky with a few small fluffy clouds

  25. Rob Wheeler holds a pose after playing his tee shot