Rory McIlroy insists he is “better than ever” heading into the major season and that the best is yet to come, after he claimed his second PGA Tour title in as many months.
The world No 2 followed his season-opening victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a St Patrick’s Day success at The Players, coming through a Monday play-off against JJ Spaun to win the PGA Tour’s flagship event for a second time.
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McIlroy’s latest victory marks the first time in his career that he was won twice in a calendar year on the PGA Tour before The Masters, the only missing major in his bid to complete the career Grand Slam.
The 35-year-old has 21 top 10s in majors since his last success at the 2014 PGA Championship, while McIlroy’s remarkable consistency has seen him finish outside the top 20 just three times in his last 21 worldwide starts.
“The only multiple major champions and multiple Players champions are Jack [Nicklaus], Tiger [Woods], Scottie [Scheffler] and myself, so it’s a pretty nice group to be a part of,” McIlroy said after his victory at TPC Sawgrass, his 28th PGA Tour title.
Image:McIlroy is the eighth winner to register multiple victories at The Players
“I feel like I’m a better player now than I ever have been, and it’s nice to see the fruits of my labour paying off.
“I’ve worked really hard. I feel like I’m a way more complete player than I was a few years ago. I feel like I can play in all conditions and anything that comes my way. Really happy that I was able to get it done.”
Image:McIlroy speaks to caddie Harry Diamond after his victory at The Players
Equipment switch sparks better fortunes
McIlroy’s victory came just nine days after he abandoned an equipment change mid-tournament and forked out $995 on an Uber to transfer his original TaylorMade club from his Florida home to Bay Hill, ahead of the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Reverting to his original driver and woods did not produce an immediate impact as McIlroy found just four fairways off the tee in an opening-round 68, while he went into the weekend one stroke back despite a disappointing finish to his second round.
McIlroy came to the final round four strokes off the pace but charged three ahead with six holes to play, only to increase fears of another near-miss in a big event when he squandered his lead and slipped into a play-off with Spaun.
“Standing over that tee shot on 16 (first play-off hole) is the most nervous I’ve been in a long time,” admitted McIlroy, who revealed he woke up at 3am and could not get back to sleep ahead of the play-off.
“I think that will stand to me, feeling like that and being able to hit the golf shots that I need while your stomach is not feeling great, your legs are a little shaky and your heart-rate is racing. To have to go through that, it’s nice to have that in recent memory for some of the tournaments coming up.”
McIlroy finished runner-up four times – including the US Open, Amgen Irish Open and BMW PGA Championship – last season, although he feels he is now better equipped to handle being in contention.
“It doesn’t feel like I’m making those mistakes at the critical times like I was previously,” he explained. “I think a big part of that was just learning from those mistakes
“It’s a long career. You have to stay incredibly patient. Yeah, I would say that some of those losses have helped me learn what to do when I’m in those positions again.”
Masters on the mind for McIlroy?
McIlroy will be among the favourites once again at The Masters, where world No 1 Scottie Scheffler is defending champion, with the Northern Irishman hoping to continue to finetune his game in his next PGA Tour start – one of the Texas events – before heading to Augusta National.
“I think just double down on what I’m doing,” McIlroy added. “I’m certainly a proponent of if it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it. Everything feels like it’s in good working order at the minute.
“I’m a better putter. I’m better around the greens. I can flight my ball better in the wind. My ability to shape shots both ways. By no means did I have my best stuff this week, but I was still able to win one of the biggest tournaments in the world. That’s a huge thing.”
Asked if his best golf could be yet to come, McIlroy told Sky Sports: “Absolutely. I don’t think I should be out here if I didn’t believe my best golf was in front of me.
“I want to try to keep improving and getting better and it’s the reason that, after 16 or 17 years out here, I’m still doing it.”
He added: “The younger guys coming out are getting better every single year and I need to keep working hard to hang with them. I’m doing a pretty good job of that. I feel like I’ve still got a few years left in the tank.”
