Rory McIlroy has two PGA Tour wins in 2024 but failed to add to his major tally; McIlroy starts the FedExCup Playoffs in third spot and chasing a record fourth FedExCup victory; Watch the PGA Tour season climax live on Sky Sports Golf
Thursday 15 August 2024 06:18, UK
Rory McIlroy wants to turn a "pretty good year" into a "very good year" with a strong finish to the PGA Tour season and late challenge for a record fourth FedExCup victory.
McIlroy has won twice on the PGA Tour this season, adding to the early-year victory on the DP World Tour at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, although still remains without a major success since 2014 and has had multiple near-misses during the campaign.
The world No 3 heads into the FedExCup Playoffs third in the season-long standings behind world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, a two-time major winner this year, although he believes he can "change the narrative" of his campaign with a strong three-week stretch.
"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. "I've won a couple of times, but I've had an opportunity to win a few more times than that and haven't been able to get over the line.
"I would have liked to have added a couple more to that win column. But there's still three tournaments left in this PGA Tour season. Even the three years that I've won the FedExCup, 2016 I came into the Playoffs I think in 36th and was able to win, but then '19 and '22 I was a little further up and a little closer to the lead.
"I think when the bulk of the season has come and gone and you've got this opportunity of three weeks to really flip the script a little bit or change the narrative and what that season means, I think that's a motivating factor, and part of the reason that I've probably played well in the Playoffs for the last three years."
McIlroy claimed third at the Valero Texas Open the week before his latest failed Grand Slam bid at The Masters, although that was his only finish inside the top-18 during his first eight starts of the PGA Tour season.
He teamed up with Shane Lowry to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in late April and registered a record fourth Wells Fargo Championship victory a week later, but saw his major drought extended with a share of 12th at the PGA Championship.
McIlroy ended tied-12th at the RBC Canadian Open added another top-15 at The Memorial, then agonisingly missed out on an elusive fifth major victory when he squandered a two-shot lead over the closing holes and finished runner-up to Byron DeChambeau at the US Open.
The former world No 1 returned from skipping the Travelers Championship to take tied-fourth in his Genesis Scottish Open title defence, before making a shock early exit from The Open at Royal Troon.
"I think it was probably a slower start to the season than I would have liked," McIlroy added. "Really didn't feel like I got going until sort of April, May, and then I've played pretty good golf since then.
"A couple wins, a couple other opportunities to win, as well. Overall reasonably happy with the way I've played this year. Obviously I've got three tournaments coming up to try to turn a pretty good year into a very good year.
"I just have to finish off tournaments better. There's been glimpses where I have done it. Like Quail Hollow, for example. The US Open, Olympics. I feel like this year and maybe the last couple years, I've just found a way to hit the wrong shot at the wrong time.
"That might go into preparation and trying to practice a little more under pressure at home. I mean, you go through these things in golf, and you go through 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."
Every PGA Tour event is live on Sky Sports, with coverage of the FedEx St Jude Championship starting at 5pm on Sky Sports Golf on Thursday. There will also be coverage on Sky Sports+ which has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.
