Rory McIlroy's return to golf is CONFIRMED after taking a break following his US Open meltdown

Rory McIlroy is confirmed to tee it up for nan first clip since his US Open illness astatine nan Scottish Open later this week. 

The Northern Irishman, 35, stepped backmost from nan golfing spotlight, taking clip distant from nan people for nan past 3 weeks pursuing his implosion astatine Pinehurst and divorcement U-turn drama. 

The four-time awesome victor will officially make his return to play successful Scotland connected Thursday aft tee times for nan past tourney earlier nan Open Championship were revealed connected Tuesday. 

McIlroy is slated to statesman his title defense astatine The Renaissance Club alongside European teammates Viktor Hovland and Robert MacIntrye astatine 8:28am BST/3:28am ET Thursday. 

He will travel this week's arena pinch The Open astatine Royal Troon - his last chance of nan twelvemonth to extremity his 10-year Major drought. 

Holding a two-shot lead during nan last information of past month's major, McIlroy carded 3 bogeys crossed nan last 5 holes - missing 2 putts from a mixed region of 7 feet. 

He fled nan people a matter of minutes after Bryson DeChambeau wrapped up triumph and announced little than 24 hours later that he wouldn't beryllium backmost astatine a tourney until nan Tour descends connected Scotland this week. 

In a connection connected societal media, McIlroy said: 'Yesterday was a reliable day, astir apt nan toughest I've had successful my astir 17 years arsenic a master golfer.

'Firstly, I'd for illustration to congratulate Bryson. He is simply a worthy champion and precisely what master play needs correct now. I deliberation we tin each work together connected that.

'As I bespeak connected my week, I'll rue a fewer things complete nan people of nan tournament, mostly nan 2 missed putts connected 16 and 18 connected nan last day. But, arsenic I ever effort to do, I'll look astatine nan positives of nan week that acold outweigh nan negatives. 

'As I said astatine nan commencement of nan tournament, I consciousness person to winning my adjacent awesome title than I ever have.

'The 1 connection that I would picture my profession arsenic is resilient. I've shown my resilience complete and complete again successful nan past 17 years and I will again.

'I'm going to return a fewer weeks distant from nan crippled to process everything and build myself backmost up for my defense of nan Genesis Scottish Open and The Open astatine Royal Troon.'

His US Open choke, which extended his decade-long awesome triumph drought, came amid a turbulent clip disconnected nan people too. 

On nan eve of nan US Open, he announced he was calling disconnected nan divorcement from his woman of 7 years, Erica Stoll. 

It was only a period prior, earlier nan PGA Championship successful May, that McIlroy announced that he and Erica were to divided owed to their matrimony being 'irretrievably broken'.

But connected nan Tuesday earlier nan tournament, McIlroy said successful a statement: 'There person been rumors astir my individual life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumor is simply a fool’s game. 

'Over nan past weeks, Erica and I person realized that our champion early was arsenic a family together. Thankfully, we person resolved our differences and look guardant to a caller beginning.'

Just weeks aft their recoupling, nan brace look to person genuinely rekindled their romance arsenic they were spotted successful a uncommon nationalist sighting. 

The McIlroys enjoyed a day nighttime pinch nan golfer's Ryder Cup teammates and their partners successful London Sunday nighttime earlier presumably heading up to Scotland for this week's event. 

Diane Donald, nan woman of victorious European skipper Luke Donald, shared a photograph of nan group outing to her Instagram communicative pinch Sister Sledge's 'We Are Family' playing complete nan top. 

McIlroy was seated adjacent to Donald, who will transportation retired a 2nd word astatine Bethpage successful New York adjacent year, but it's unclear wherever successful nan British superior nan pack of golfers were wining and dining. 

Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Nicolai Hojgaard and Tyrrell Hatton, who will beryllium heading down to Spain for LIV Golf's Andalucia arena this week, were besides gathered astir nan table. 

Meanwhile, Stoll was seated further down nan table, sandwiched successful betwixt Wendy Lowry and Diane, while Clare Fleetwood and Hojgaard's girlfriend, Amanda Falkenberg joined them astatine nan WAGs' end. 

McIlroy, Lowry, Hojgaard, Fleetwood and Hatton were each members of Donald's squad that humiliated nan USA pinch a 16.5-11.5 triumph successful Rome last September.