The final major of the golfing year takes place this week as the Open Championship takes place at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland – with Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood both teeing off

When Rory McIlroy arrived at Royal Portrush six years ago it was meant to be a glorious homecoming for Northern Ireland's most famous sportsman but his British Open hopes lasted only two rounds.

So here is our final major big board of the year, ranking the top 30 golfers in the field. This is not simply the 30 best golfers in a vacuum. These are the 30 golfers that our crack team of Gabby Herzig, Hugh Kellenberger and Brody Miller believe are best suited to win this week at Royal Portrush.

Rory McIlroy grew up in Holywood, Northern Ireland, and learned to play golf at Holywood Golf Club. I visited and took the "McIlroy Tour."

What time does Rory McIlroy tee off at The Open? Start times, how to watch, prize money and latest odds - Masters champion targeting second career Claret Jug on home turf in Northern Ireland

A two-story mural depicting a precocious Rory McIlroy in 2012 has seen such better days that you can barely tell it is the Grand Slam golfer anymore

Rory McIlroy is back at Royal Portrush for the Masters and admits he was taken aback by the volume of support he received when he played in his homeland six years ago