McIlroy vows to let clubs do talking and "shut out that outside noise” in Open quest

HOYLAKE, ENGLAND - JULY 17: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland signs an autograph prior to The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 17, 2023 in Hoylake, England. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy insists his decision to skip his pre-Open press conference at Hoylake and stop talking about LIV Golf has helped him “shut out that outside noise” in his bid to end his nine-year major drought this week.

The world number two admits he found it exhausting being the spokesman for the PGA Tour in its battle against the Saudi-backed league, which has now gained a foothold in the game following its shock framework agreement with the US and European tours.

“I think just the more I can focus on golf and I can focus my energy into the things I can focus on, that’s my goal,” said McIlroy, who tees it up at Royal Liverpool with his confidence sky high after spectacularly finishing with two birdies to win the Scottish Open last Sunday.

“I have done enough of the talking over the last 12 or 18 months. I am not saying that other people should sort of fill my place; I think for me, we are all golfers, and we are here to do a job which is to try and play the best golf we possibly can.

“I did thrive a little bit in that environment last year, but at this point, I just fatigued of it, and I just want to get back to being a golfer, and I made that decision recently, maybe over the past three or four months, and it has definitely helped focus on things that are important and the things that make me happy.”

He added: “I am very confident with where my game is, I have sort of proven that over the last few weeks, so the more I can focus on myself and try to shut out that outside noise, that’s the best thing for me to do.”

McIlroy also skipped his pre-championship media duties before last month’s US Open and came close to winning that elusive fifth major when he finished just a shot behind Wyndham Clark at Los Angeles Country Club.

He’s only grown in confidence since then by ending a run of near misses with his performance at the Renaissance Club.

“I certainly feel like the win last week was validation for the good stuff I have been doing over the last couple of months,” added the Co Down man, who was a wire-to-wire winner at Hoylake in 2014.

“I have had some great chances to win tournaments recently, the last group at the Memorial, obviously the US Open, Canadian Open, Travelers either side of the US Open; I played very well but just without getting over the finish line.

“I think getting over the finish line was one thing last week, but just the manner in which I did it. That obviously gives me a lot of confidence going into this week.”

He’s conserved energy all week to give himself the best possible chance of victory and won’t waste any worrying about rivals such as Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm or current champion Cam Smith.

“I can’t think about those 155 players, I just got to focus on myself, and if I can focus on myself and play the golf that I know I am capable of, I know I will have a good chance to win,” he said.