Rory McIlroy, three-time FedEx Cup champion, is fine-tuning his placing method as he prepares for this week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tenn.
McIlroy, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm kind an elite group that may play collectively in Rounds 1 and a couple of at TPC Southwind starting Thursday at 10:26 a.m. ET.
Whereas Scheffler’s placing has obtained extra scrutiny this season, McIlroy shouldn’t be above tinkering.
“Actually, I simply needed a special look, simply needed to freshen it up,” he mentioned Wednesday. “I’ve bought my Spider with me this week if that putter isn’t doing what I need it to do over the primary couple days. I’ll return. I simply needed to freshen it up.”
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McIlroy mentioned there was little or no science within the planning course of; extra like “go into the storage and see what I had and simply pull a pair out and go have a number of putts. That was it.”
Inconsistency on the greens has been evident in 2023. McIlroy is 86th in Strokes Gained: Placing after a standout in 2022, throughout which he ranked sixteenth in that class. He capped final season by successful his third FedEx Cup championship, greater than another participant.
The highest 50 from this week’s event are alive getting into the August 17-20 BMW Championship. The highest 30 from that occasion compete on the finale, the August 24-27 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Membership in Atlanta.
McIlroy has narrowed his focus to enjoying his finest towards the late summer season with a watch on one other title.
“I’d wish to assume that I play adequate golf through the years to provide myself an opportunity a bunch of instances,” he mentioned.
“I’ve gotten scorching on the proper time. It’s additionally course match. East Lake is a course I’ve loved through the years, and it’s at all times good realizing if you return there, you’re at all times going to have a great shot to win.”
With rains in Memphis this week, McIlroy mentioned the situations ought to swimsuit him properly there, too.
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“Yeah, I feel when it’s moist like this, we’re most likely going to play most popular lies the primary couple of days simply with the quantity of mud balls that we’re getting on the market,” he mentioned.”I feel with the softer situations, I really feel prefer it’s going to play just a little simpler, particularly the primary couple of days if it retains all that rain that we’ve had over the previous couple of days.”
And his technique for the following three weeks?
“I form of deal with it like a 12-round event. You’ve bought 12 rounds to play, and also you’re attempting to go on the market and get the very best out of your self for these 12 days.”
Requested his ideas on Tiger Woods being named to the PGA Tour’s coverage board, McIlroy known as it an amazing addition.
“The participant during the last 20 years that’s left the largest legacy on the sport, for him to be concerned within the discussions round the way forward for skilled golf and what which will seem like I feel is essential.
“For him to step up and form of take just a little little bit of the load off us may be very a lot appreciated.”