First, let’s start with some context. This is not Tiger Woods reappearing in the public eye in front of a blue curtain at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse. It’s not a major, and no matter the level of superstar a relatively brief appearance in front of the press isn’t going to be considered that significant. But given what happened to Rory McIlroy the last time we saw him, and that we’d not seen (unless you had your eyes open on the High Line in Manhattan a few weeks ago) or heard from him since he peeled out of the parking lot at Pinehurst, the mere existence of his comments would be notable, much less the substance contained therein. But now that we’ve both heard from Rory and seen him in action these last two days at the Scottish Open, let’s get to some of that substance.

The Past

Maybe he was just fooling me, himself, or both, but Rory spoke with clarity, conviction, and acceptance about the pain and failure to win the U.S. Open. He seemed to take a full account of the day, the successes and the flops, providing an analysis that was surely less emotional but likely more insightful than any comments he would have made in the immediate aftermath. He did not repackage or bypass his Sunday shortcomings, saying he could “vividly remember starting to feel a little uncomfortable waiting for my second putt on 16” and that it “wasn’t a terrible putt, but I definitely felt a little bit of uneasiness before I hit it.” There were less honest ways to talk about that day than by saying he was uncomfortable and uneasy, but Rory didn’t seem as though he was trying to minimize anything.

He also pondered being “too aware” of where Bryson was around him, which is largely due to the nature of the Pinehurst No. 2’s routing and the green-to-tee transitions that created palpable tension floating from one group to the next, a tension so many observed and chronicled in the moment. Rory admitted that when he noticed where Bryson was off the tee on 18 it impacted how hard he hit that missed par putt at the last, as he wanted to preserve an easier opportunity for a comebacker bogey with DeChambeau seemingly en route to a bogey of his own. That’s great insight on a key moment of that day, and illustrative of how tricky it must be walking the line between staying present in your own game and gathering what you can to make the most informed decision.

The Present

At present, Rory is back to playing highly competitive golf. He opened his Scottish Open defense with a 65, putting him right back in the hunt after the layoff. He said it was his first links golf round since last year’s Open at Hoylake, a painful truth that highlights the criminal underrepresentation of such a wonderful form of golf at the highest levels of the game.

He also seems quite content with his current caddie, who was the subject of some criticism amidst the Pinehurst fallout. He batted away a question that offered up some Hank Haney hollering and Smylie Kaufman commentary. “I love Smylie, but I think I know what I’m doing, and so does Harry.”

Rory said his focus during this latest recovery after a brutal major loss is “owning” whatever comes next. He has spoken of this often, especially in regards to working on his swing under the eye of a coach, his longtime instructor Michael Bannon being as hushed in public view as his caddie. “I’ve always liked to figure things out myself, I’m not really one to reach out for advice…I’ve always wanted to own it,” he said after the first round 65. “I’ve always wanted to own my success and my disappointments, and I think figuring it out yourself and giving yourself that time is a good thing.” So far, whatever debrief he said he pulled together from Pinehurst to employ and work on this week and next seems like a fine one.

The Future

“I’ve been able to take those tough moments and turn them into great things not very long after that.” This is certainly a part of the Rory story over the last 10 years. He’s not won a major, but he has put up an unmatched run of consistently successful golf. Such an odd dynamic of pain and success.

He’s adamant there is not much he would change about his week at Pinehurst as it was the best he has played in that position in a very long time, and that’s a position he’s been in as much as anyone in recent years.

“I’m not going to let three or four holes cloud my judgment in terms of how good I’m playing,” he said after his first round. This entire outlook from the past two days felt so far off, almost impossibly so, from where Rory seemed to be walking out of Pinehurst. Recent history would suggest he will contend again at Troon. Whether you’re ready to get hurt again or not, everybody back in the boat!

This piece originally appeared in the Fried Egg Golf newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.