Rory McIlroy hopes to make use of the following three weeks to “change the narrative” of his season as he bids to win the FedEx Cup title for a record-extending fourth time.
McIlroy has received twice worldwide this season however is all too conscious of letting different possibilities slip by way of his fingers, most painfully within the US Open at Pinehurst and the Olympic Video games in Paris.
In consequence, the 35-year-old heads into the primary play-off occasion – the FedEx St Jude Championship at TPC Southwind – virtually 3,500 factors behind Scottie Scheffler, the world primary having received six instances on the PGA Tour earlier than securing Olympic gold at Le Golf Nationwide.
“I actually don’t wish to sit up right here and belittle my achievements in any respect this yr and what I’ve completed, however on the similar time I count on a sure normal from myself,” McIlroy stated.
“I’ve received a few instances. I’ve had a possibility to win a couple of extra instances than that and haven’t been in a position to recover from the road. So I might have favored to have added a pair extra to that win column.
“However as I stated, there’s nonetheless three tournaments left on this PGA Tour season. I feel I’ve truly received eight or 9 tournaments left this yr, however three on the PGA Tour to show an okay season into an excellent one.
“I feel when the majority of the season has come and gone and also you’ve received this chance of three weeks to actually, I suppose, flip the script a little bit bit or change the narrative and what that season means, I feel that’s a motivating issue and a part of the rationale that I’ve most likely performed nicely within the play-offs for the final three years.”
FINISHING OFF TOURNAMENTS
Requested if he wanted to do something completely different to eliminate the “almost man” tag he gave himself after the Olympics, McIlroy added: “I simply have to complete off tournaments higher.
“There’s been glimpses the place I’ve completed it, like Quail Hole (on the Wells Fargo Championship), for instance. However clearly the US Open, Olympics.
“I really feel like this yr and perhaps the final couple years I’ve simply discovered a solution to hit the flawed shot on the flawed time. Which may go into preparation and making an attempt to observe a little bit extra below stress at dwelling.
“You undergo this stuff in golf and also you undergo these little challenges and also you simply should strive to determine a solution to get by way of it and my problem proper now could be that.
“It’s actually good however not fairly adequate to take dwelling the silverware. It’s simply one thing I’m having to work by way of.”
TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Scheffler has topped the FedEx Cup standings heading into the season-ending Tour Championship in every of the final two years however has relinquished the two-stroke lead that offers him on each events.
McIlroy overturned a six-shot deficit within the closing spherical at East Lake in 2022, whereas Viktor Hovland worn out Scheffler’s benefit by the top of the primary spherical 12 months in the past.
“I don’t actually take into consideration an exclamation level (on the season) or something like that, however I undoubtedly wish to win the FedEx Cup,” Scheffler stated.
“It’s quoted because the season-long race however on the finish of the day it actually all comes right down to East Lake. I didn’t have my greatest stuff at East Lake the final couple of years.
“I’m form of excited that they modified the course a little bit bit. It could give me some new vibes round there.”
