2011 British Open Favorites: Why Rory McIlroy Is a Lock to Finish in the Top 5

The last time Rory McIlroy played a round of competitive golf, it was in the U.S. Open Championship one month ago.

Of course, some would say he earned the time off, after winning his first major tournament by eight strokes at Congressional Country Club. But the victory set off expectations so high they might be impossible to live up to—even for someone as talented as McIlroy.

Comparisons to Tiger Woods at the same age have been never-ending. And even though those associations are unfair, McIlroy must face the pressure of living up to them.

"It was nice to relax and sort of take it all in after the U.S. Open," McIlroy said in his presser Tuesday. "But I knew that the time for reflection wasn't really at this point of the season, it's at the end. I've got to forget about what happened three weeks ago and just come in here and try to win another golf tournament."

This week, McIlroy, the No. 4 player in the world at just 22 years old, is widely considered one of the favorites to win the 140th playing of the British Open Championship at Royal St. George's in Sandwich, England.

If it weren't for a second day catastrophe at the 2010 Open Championship that saw McIlroy card an 80, he might be working on his third major. He opened with an incredible 63 at St. Andrews before the implosion, then closed with rounds of 69 and 68 to finish eight shots back in a tie for third place behind winner Louis Oosthuizen and runner-up Lee Westwood.

This year, it seems as though it's his tournament to lose.

McIlroy's every move will be critiqued and analyzed as he prepares to battle typically windy conditions at Royal St. George's, which historically sets up nice for new champions. The Open Championship has been played here 13 times. Nine of those times, a first-time winner has walked away with the Claret Jug.

Not that he needs that stat to work in his favor, but it can't be a bad omen for Rory McIlroy.