Rory McIlroy has come close to clinching the trophies so many times this season. Sadly, lady luck was not on his side. He grabbed his first win at the Zurich Classic in April when the World No. 3 was paired with Shane Lowry. McIlroy had two consecutive wins. Post that, he defeated Xander Schauffele by a whopping five strokes at the Wells Fargo Championship, and the win was exceptional indeed.
However, that was it for his gold spree. On several occasions, he has come as close as the runner-up position. Take the US Open or the Amgen Irish Open last week, for example. After losing the Irish Open by just one stroke, McIlroy shares his expectations from the 2024 BMW PGA Championship.
Rory McIlroy says that he is content with his game
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After playing 54 holes at the Wentworth Club, Rory McIlroy is once again stuck at T2 with Billy Horschel. They are three strokes away from Matteo Manassero, who is currently at the lead. At the post-round presser on Saturday, he was asked how he felt after falling back to the same position as last week. To this, he stated that the loss has not affected him as much as people think it has.
Is Rory McIlroy’s four-month drought a sign of his career’s decline?
No, it’s just a rough patch
He’ll bounce back stronger
Do you agree with Tyrrell Hatton that Greg Norman’s environment is best for golf’s future?
What do you think about Tyrrell Hatton’s attitude towards LIV Golf?
Do you think Danny Lee’s diverse background gives him an edge in LIV Golf?
Yes, it makes him more adaptable
Maybe, but it’s not a big factor
McIlroy kick-started his year with a below-20 finish in his first five matches, except for THE PLAYERS. Compared to that, he is in a much better position. He is content with playing well. “I’m working on my game. I’m doing some good practice while I’m here. Trying to stick to what I know, which is going out there and trying to shoot the best scores that I possibly can and see where it leaves me at the end of the week,” he said.
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via Getty
NEWCASTLE, NORTHERN IRELAND – SEPTEMBER 13: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland acknowledges the crowd after a birdie on the 15th green during day two of the Amgen Irish Open 2024 at Royal County Down Golf Club on September 13, 2024 in Newcastle, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
Well, this has not been the first time that the 26X PGA Tour winner has bounced back from setbacks. Back in the 2021 season, he had yet another topsy-turvy road. Although he ended up with just one win at the 2021 Wells Fargo Championship, the former World No. 1 had bagged seven top-10 finishes. And thus, the 2024 career storyline is nothing new for him.
Rory McIlroy has Déjà vu
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Rory McIlroy finished with a T16 at the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open. Which was followed by another T13, and a missed cut. He then bounced back with his game bagging two consecutive top-10 finishes in February and March. However, in the next three appearances, he had two missed cuts and a T28 finish. After all the disappointment, he grabbed his only victory at the Quail Hollow Club. And well, the rest of the season has been the same for him, going up and down.
Remembering this, he said, “I think it’s been a familiar story with my career. I have setbacks and I usually come back pretty well from them. Some are harder than others, obviously, but I think in this game you have to be resilient.” He even added that in the game of golf, it is more losses than victories, and what is important is, “You have to be okay with that and you have to accept that,” says McIlroy. He has been accepting that side of the game, and also at the same time is tremendously happy to be in ‘the mix’ again. Do you think he will be able to grab the third victory of the season? Stay tuned to find out in a few hours!
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