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Rory McIlroy tees off at the 2012 Irish Open. ©INPHO/Presseye/Jonathan Porter
hometown hero

Hopefully I'm going to win a few Irish Opens in my career - Rory McIlroy

The world number one has targeted multiple titles in front of home crowds in Ireland.

RORY MCILROY confirmed his decision to compete at the Irish Open next summer and declared ‘it’s very special because it’s my home event’.

The world number one, and holder of European, US PGA and Golf Writers’ best player awards, will be the marquee name at the Carton House-hosted event from at the end of June 2013.

The Holywood native was dumbstruck by the levels of support he, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke received at Royal Portrush earlier this year.

“The fans are incredible,” he said. “Obviously the support I get back home is unbelievable but the support the Irish fans give in general is great.

“They are very knowledgeable and I think Portrush this year, with its record attendances, was just incredible, seeing so many people come out to watch us play.”

McIlroy told europeantour.com, “The history of the Irish Open is very special too, with such a great list of champions from Nick Faldo to Seve (Ballesteros), Bernhard Langer, Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington.

“So many European greats have won that tournament and I think that’s what makes it so special.”

Home crowds

The 2013 Irish Open will represent the seventh time McIlroy has competed for the top prize.

He played the Colin Montgomerie-designed course as a 16-year-old amateur in 2005 but missed the cut after shooting rounds of 71 and 81.

The two-time major winner has top 10 finishes in 2008 (seventh) and 2011 (10th) but has yet to sustain a trophy challenge.

McIlroy said, “Winning the Irish Open would be very special.

“I know Padraig Harrington has talked a lot about how he felt when he won and how proud he was of that achievement.

I’d love to win it, although it’s tough to play in front of your home crowds at times. It brings its own pressures and you want to do so well for them and they live and breathe every shot with you.

“When you make a bogey there’s a big ‘aahh’ and when you make a birdie there’s a big roar and it’s tough sometimes not to try to too hard – but hopefully I am not going to win not just one Irish Open but a few Irish Opens in my career.”

Shane Lowry won the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009 while Padraig Harrington captured the top prize in 2007.

Harringston’s win ended a 25 year wait for home success following John O’Leary’s victory in 1982.

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