Rory McIlroy said mid-round charge, late lapses at Bay Hill are still positive signs
Rory McIlroy certainly wasn't happy with a tournament outcome that didn't involve him hoisting a trophy on the 18th green.
But the third-ranked player in the world and defending FedEx Cup champion called his tie for second last week in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando "a step in the right direction — especially considering the finishes in Phoenix and L.A."
He was referring to disappointing weekend finishes in the WM Phoenix Open (70-70 to tie for 32nd) and the Genesis Invitational (73-71 to tie for 29th), his first two PGA Tour starts since winning the CJ Cup in the fall for his 23rd PGA Tour title.
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McIlroy charged hard at Bay Hill with birdies on four of five holes at one point to earn a piece of the lead. But he bogeyed Nos. 14 and 15, rebounded with a birdie at No. 16, and missed a 10-foot birdie attempt at the final that would have earned at least a playoff with winner Kurt Kitayama.
"Last week was a positive," McIlroy said on Tuesday during a news conference at The Players Championship media center. "As much as I was disappointed I didn't play the final five holes the way I wanted, it was still a good week. Getting into contention and having those feelings sets me up well this week."
McIlroy won The Players in 2019 when the event returned to March after 12 years in May. He missed the cut in 2021 and last year tied for 33rd.
Historically, it's been feast or famine for McIlroy at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. He missed the cut in his first three starts and has missed five cuts in 12 starts. But he's also notched five finishes of a tie for 12th or higher, with four top-10s.
He was the fifth European to win The Players, in 48 tournaments. He said there's no reason Europeans can't have more success in the PGA Tour's marquee tournament. McIlroy said the notion that target golf and playing shots in the air over the numerous hazards of the Stadium Course shouldn't be a handicap for European players perhaps more used to playing the ball on the ground.
"All the top Europeans live here and play on this Tour," he said. "You could have made that argument 20 years ago but the way the pro landscape is, we all base ourselves in this country and in Florida, I don't think there's any excuses."
McIlroy has won twice since becoming the first player to win the FedEx Cup three times at East Lake in Atlanta. He won the CJ Cup for the second time, then added a DP World Tour title, his 15th, at Dubai in January.
He said he's been able to find the time to practice and keep his game at a high level despite his added duties as a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board.
"When I went on the board I didn't imagine it would take this much time," McIroy said, noting a board meeting last week that lasted seven hours. "But it's been important work and I'm proud of the steps the PGA Tour has made to make it better for the membership. I don't feel like it's taken away from [his playing and practice routine]."
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: World No. 3-ranked Rory McIlroy has experience feast or famine at Players
