Rory McIlroy looks ahead to The Open at Royal St George's Picture: Barry Goodwin

Rory McIlroy insists he is fully prepared as the Northern Irishman looks to make it back-to-back majors at the Open Championship.

The world number four has not played a competitive round of golf since winning the US Open in sensational fashion last month.

But the 22-year-old believes his three weeks off will prove to be ideal preparation for Sandwich.

“I'm very happy to be back at an Open,” he said. “It's obviously a tournament that we look forward to every year.

“The first 10 days after winning the US Open were a bit hectic trying to see everyone and going here, there and everywhere - but the last 10 days have been good.

“I've got back into my routine, been practising a lot. I was here last week for a couple of days and got two good practice rounds in. So I feel as if my preparation has been really good coming in here.”

McIlroy admitted he had been taken aback by the reaction to his record 16-under-par performance in the US Open.

"I didn't realise how much of a fuss it would create or how much of a buzz," he said.

"The support that I've had from people back home, from everyone all over the world, has been pretty overwhelming. It's a very nice feeling to have that support walking onto the golf course."

Five-times Open champion Tom Watson, now 61 and playing his 34th Open, reckons that McIlroy's closing 80 at The Masters in April was invaluable in his development.

He said: "I was not a winner early - I choked my way through lots of tournaments - but I put myself in pressure situations and learnt how to deal with it.

"The one thing about playing under pressure is that you don't know until you are in it. It's like being thrown off a boat.

"I asked Rory after The Masters what he had learnt and he said 'I learnt how to deal with it'."