Rory McIlroy hopes to make use of the subsequent 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 probabilities slip by way of his fingers, most painfully within the US Open at Pinehurst and the Olympic Video games in Paris.
Consequently, 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 definitely don’t wish to sit up right here and belittle my achievements in any respect this 12 months and what I’ve performed, however on the similar time I count on a sure customary from myself,” McIlroy stated.
“I’ve received a few instances. I’ve had a possibility to win a number of extra instances than that and haven’t been in a position to recover from the road. So I’d have appreciated 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 acquired eight or 9 tournaments left this 12 months, 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 acquired this chance of three weeks to actually, I assume, flip the script a bit of 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 in all probability performed properly within the play-offs for the final three years.”
FINISHING OFF TOURNAMENTS
Requested if he wanted to do something totally different to eliminate the “practically 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 performed it, like Quail Hole (on the Wells Fargo Championship), for instance. However clearly the US Open, Olympics.
“I really feel like this 12 months and possibly the final couple years I’ve simply discovered a option to hit the improper shot on the improper time. Which may go into preparation and attempting to observe a bit of extra beneath stress at house.
“You undergo this stuff in golf and also you undergo these little challenges and also you simply need to strive to determine a option to get by way of it and my problem proper now’s that.
“It’s actually good however not fairly adequate to take house 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 remaining spherical at East Lake in 2022, whereas Viktor Hovland worn out Scheffler’s benefit by the tip 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 all the way down to East Lake. I didn’t have my greatest stuff at East Lake the final couple of years.
“I’m sort of excited that they modified the course a bit of bit. It could give me some new vibes round there.”
