Rory McIlroy stared at his card behind the 18th green and smiled the smile of a golfer who knew he’d had a day to remember at the British Open.

Six years after his emotional missed cut at Royal Portrush, McIlroy stuck around for four days of heavy praise from the hometown crowd, which showered McIlroy all the way through his 10-under performance and T-7 finish.

In post-round interviews, especially during bigger tournaments, you'll often hear tour pros say they plan to go back to their hotels or rental homes and get their minds off golf. For some that may mean playing with the kids,

Reality says Rory McIlroy isn’t going to hoist the Claret Jug on the 18th hole on Sunday evening here to deafening roars from the home fans.

So, this was weird: Rory McIlroy, playing his second shot from the rough on the 11th at Royal Portrush in Round 3 of the British Open, somehow managed to unearth another ball in mid-swing. The second ball was apparently embedded in the ground a few inches ahead of McIlroy's ball, and popped into the air as McIlroy's shot flew greenward.

Viewed from the fairway, Rory McIlroy's eagle on the 12th hole Saturday was captivating theater. It seemed too slow for the longest time as it trickled to the ridge just a few feet from the hole, but it hit the downslope at the perfect speed.