McIlroy: "I've just found a way to hit the wrong shot at the wrong time”

Self-confessed “nearly man” Rory McIlroy hopes to turn “a pretty good year into a very good year” as he chases down world number one Scottie Scheffler in the first FedExCup Playoff event in Memphis.

The Holywood star, who admits he’s developed a habit of hitting “the wrong shot at the wrong time”, joins Shane Lowry and Seamus Power in the FedEx St Jude Championship looking to close the gap the Masters and Olympic champion.

“I certainly don't want to sit up here and belittle my achievements at all this year and what I've done, but at the same time, I expect a certain standard from myself,” McIlroy said of his two-win season in the US that pales in comparison with Scheffler’s seven wins.

“Yeah, I've won a couple of times. I've had an opportunity to win a few more times than that and haven't been able to get over the line. So I would have liked to have added a couple more to that win column.”

Scheffler has a huge lead over PGA and Open champion Xander Schauffele at the top of the FedEx Cup standings but third-ranked McIlroy is not throwing in the towel as he seeks a fourth FedEx Cup success.

“Obviously I've got three tournaments coming up to try to turn a pretty good year into a very good year,” he said.

“Yeah, I just have to finish off tournaments better. There’s been glimpses where I have done it. Like Quail Hollow, for example.

“But obviously the US Open, Olympics. I feel like this year, and maybe the last couple of years, I've just found a way to hit the wrong shot at the wrong time. “

He added: “You go through these things in golf, these little challenges, and you just have to try to figure out a way to get through it, and my challenge right now is that.  

“It's really good but not quite good enough to sort of take home the silverware. It's just something I'm having to work through.”