McIlroy on the Masters: "I displayed a few weaknesses in my game that I need to work on"
Within minutes of completing his media interview at Quail Hollow, Rory McIlroy was out on the practice putting green with Dave Stockton, the short game expert.
The 69-year old, two-time US PGA champion later confirmed that the pair began working together on Monday. Not that you would have known that after listening to McIlroy’s 15-minute chat with the press ahead of his defence of the Wells Fargo Championship.
There wasn’t much of a hint in the press conference that he’s actively making changes to his short game technique, possibly his putting.
McIlroy to wrestle with the putting gorilla
Could this become a rare sighting? Rory McIlroy misses a putt at the 14th on day three of 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor. (Picture Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)Rory McIlroy insists he’s not going to let his Masters meltdown get him down.
In fact, according to Karl MacGinty in the Irish Independent, he’s taken steps to make sure that the putting problems that cost him his first major title do not come back to haunt him again.
As suggested by RTE’s Greg Allen in the aftermath of the Masters (a suggestion hailed as being “spot on” by McIlroy’s manager Chubby Chander) the Ulsterman will seek help from short game coach Dave Stockton over the coming months.
It’s a watershed moment for the youngster who will celebrate his 22nd birthday in Charlotte tomorrow and a welcome case of “Happy Birthday to me.”
Mature McIlroy hits all the right notes
For two months this season Rory McIlroy could do nothing right. But that all changed at Quail Hollow on Sunday, where the Hollywood sensation followed his mind-blowing, four stroke victory with a post round press conference that was as ever bit as immaculate as the 62 that blew the best in the world away.
McIlroy has earned respect - Chubby
Rory McIlroy banked a cool $1.17m with his sensational four shot win in the Quail Hollow Championship.
But according to his manager Chubby Chandler, the Holywood star earned something even more valuable with his amazing final round 62 - total respect from his rivals.
McIlroy conquers US with sensational 62
Rory McIlroy answered his critics in emphatic fashion when he closed with an incredible run of six successive threes to win the Quail Hollow Championship by four shots from Phil Mickelson - smashing the course record by two with a scintillating, bogey free 10 under par 62 to secure his maiden PGA Tour victory in grandstand fashion on 15 under par.
The Holywood star, who does not turn 21 until Wednesday, became the youngest winner on the PGA Tour since world No 1 Tiger Woods claimed the Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic aged 20 years, nine months and 20 days in 1996.
Flabbergasted that he had played the last 36 holes in 16 under par, McIlroy said: “I just got in a zone and didn’t realise that I was going eight, nine, 10 under. I just knew that I got my nose in front and I was just trying to stay there.”
Rory shows steel as Tiger throws in towel
World number one Tiger Woods didn’t just miss the cut in the Quail Hollow Championship by adding a 79 to his opening 74 - he positively imploded. He’s certainly no robot. There were no nuts and bolts all over North Carolina, just a shattered human being who finally hit the wall.
Woods missed just the sixth cut of a 14-year professional career when his game shuddered to a halt after an opening birdie and then completely fell apart on the back nine as he came home in seven over in the most alarmingly fashion. He’s had bad days before but what was surprising was the way he appeared to simply throw in the towel when it became obvious that surviving for the weekend with a broken swing was mission impossible.
