The crowds following Rory McIlroy for three days at Royal Portrush have been enormous, a reminder of the expectations. On banners and flags and buntings of grandstands there are images of the claret ...

Sunlight streaked through a few low-hanging clouds when Padraig Harrington opened the British Open with a piercing 3-iron into the wind. Darkness began covering Royal Portrush nearly 16 hours later ...