McIlroy searches for positives as major drought continues

Rory McIlroy insists there are positives to take heading into the rest of the PGA Tour season after seeing his wait for an elusive fifth major victory extended at the PGA Championship.

McIlroy, who claimed his most recent major title when Valhalla last hosted the event in 2014, arrived as one of the pre-tournament favourites are winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and the Wells Fargo Championship in his previous two starts.

The world No 2 filed for divorce from wife Erica ahead of the second men’s major of the year but off-course changes to one side to quickly put himself in major contention, posting a brilliant five-under 66 on the opening day.

McIlroy struggled to a level-par 71 on Friday before carding rounds of 68 and 67 over the weekend, leaving him nine strokes back in a share of 12th as Xander Schauffele claimed a history-making maiden major title.

“Obviously started the week well, and then I’ve obviously played decent over the weekend,” said after his final day. That six-hole stretch on the back nine yesterday, not being able to hole any putts, I’ll probably rue that.

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“Then the 71 on Friday, as well, was obviously not what I was looking for. Obviously put myself too far back. Overall playing solid, game is in good shape, and I’ve got a week off and then another busy stretch coming up.”

McIlroy – who made a slow start to his PGA Tour campaign prior to his back-to-back wins ahead of the PGA Championship – mixed seven birdies with three bogeys in an eventful final round, with the four-time major winner closing on a top-10 finish until finding water twice in a three-hole stretch.

The 35-year-old falls to third in the world rankings after Schauffele jumped above him with a one-shot victory, leaving McIlroy outside of the world’s top two for the first time since his Genesis Scottish Open win in July.

McIlroy has had 20 top-10 finishes in majors since his 2014 PGA Championship success, more than any other player during the same span, but believes his game has turned a corner heading into the final two majors of the year.

“I’m feeling good about that [his game],” McIlroy added. “I’ve been on a big stretch of golf here. I think this was my sixth event in seven weeks. I’ve got a week off and then I’m playing another four in a row.

“I’m feeling good about my game. I feel like things are sort of clicking more, especially after the win in New Orleans. Obviously played well last week in Charlotte. Have a week here to sort of reset and try to get going again.”

What does McIlroy’s schedule look like?

McIlroy takes a week off before beginning a run of four consecutive PGA Tour events with the RBC Canadian Open from May 30-June 2, an event he won by seven shots in 2019 and then successfully defended his title – after two editions were cancelled due to Covid-19 – in 2022.

The Memorial Tournament is the latest PGA Tour Signature Event and will offer a star-studded field at Muirfield Village, before McIlroy has another opportunity to end his decade-long major drought at the US Open from June 13-16.

Mcllroy finished runner-up Wyndham Clark a year ago and will want to go one better to secure the US Open champion for a second time, having won his maiden major in the 2011 contest, before he rounds off a busy stretch by playing the Travelers Championship from June 20-23.

The 35-year-old is then due to take two weeks off before returning to defend his Genesis Scottish Open title at Renaissance Club from July 11-14, where he claimed a dramatic one-shot win last, with the men’s major season then concluding with The Open at Royal Troon a week later.

McIlroy’s schedule beyond that has yet to be confirmed, although an appearance representing Ireland at the Men’s Olympic Games is expected from August 1-4 ahead of him returning to the USA for the FedExCup Playoffs.

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