Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Let’s hope Quail now eggs Rory on to scale mountains
IT has been quite a while since Rory Mcilroy was in serious contention to win a PGA Tour event.
That harsh reality is reflected in his world ranking these days.
An intriguing subplot at this week’s Wells Fargo is the fact Rory tees it up for the first time since missing the cut at the Masters four weeks ago.
And the four-time major winner will be hoping to lay down a marker after slipping to 15th in the world – his lowest ranking in more than a decade.
The last time Rory was as low as this was in November 2009 when he was No17.
Truth be told, we shouldn’t be too surprised given he’s had a run of three missed cuts in his last six outings and only three top-10s in nine worldwide starts this year.
The fact he was top of the world 10 months ago seems like a distant memory now and a slide to 15th is massive in such a relatively short space of time.
It will also irk him that he’s now only the fourth ranked European behind Jon Rahm (3), Tyrrell Hatton (8) and Viktor Hovland (11).
It’s crucial Rory starts looking upwards again and a big positive for him is the fact the Wells Fargo Championship is the ideal tournament for him to kickstart his season.
Mcilroy was the tournament’s youngest winner in 2010, while he also holds the course record of 61 from his second success at Quail Hollow in 2015.
While Rory’s recent form has shunted him under a spotlight, new coach Pete Cowan’s influence will also come under scrutiny in North Carolina.
Player and coach have had a month working together postmasters, so what improvements or visual changes can we expect in Rory’s game and swing?
It’ll be fascinating to see. I believe Mcilroy is in an interesting space at the moment and the next couple of years could define the trajectory of his career over the next decade.
The chasing pack is younger and he is now a father in his early-30s, so how he adapts to that changing landscape and dynamic will be crucial.
In order to be the best, you have to be ruthless and selfish but it’s difficult squaring that approach with parenthood.
I’m not thinking hours on the range, I’m talking about being single minded enough to prioritise career above family. It’s tough.
Compromise tends to undermine those at the top end of the sport, where the margins are miniscule.
That’s a balance Rory’s going to have to strike.
If he retired now, Mcilroy would be a Hall of Famer, but we all know he has the talent to do much more.
He has the potential to go on and double his majors tally.
Let’s hope for positive signs as he renews his love affair with Quail Hollow.