RORY IN THE ZONE FOR GLORY
Majestic McIlroy proves he’s in the flow ahead of US Open
RORY McILROY revealed he had an out-of-body experience as he won the RBS Canadian Open just days before the US Open.
A final-round 61 in Hamilton – equalling the score he shot as a teenager at Royal Portrush – gave him victory by seven shots and was the perfect preparation for Pebble Beach.
The only downside to his 25th worldwide win was that he was in line for 59 until he bogeyed the final hole.
“When you play, you get into stretches like this, you get into some sort of flow, that flow state or in the zone or whatever anyone wants to call it,” said McIlroy.
“I definitely got into that at the start of the back nine. It was the same that day at Portrush all those years ago, the first time I had experienced it. I was a 16-year-old and I was six-under par through 13 and birdied the last five to shoot 11-under.
“It’s almost like you’re out of your own body and looking at yourself play. For some time, that’s how it felt.
“If I could bottle that feeling and take it with me week to week I would. It sort of comes and goes.
“It’s just a matter of being confident with your game and everything sort of falling into place. Hopefully I can keep that going for the rest of the year.”
McIlroy, 30, won his first Major at the 2011 US Open, but has missed the cut in the last three years.
This time he changed tactics and teed up in Ontario the week before – and how it worked.
In his final round on Sunday, he made five birdies on his front nine and then four on the spin from 11-14. The new World No.3 then bogeyed 16 and 18 around an eagle on 17 when he hit a seven iron from 196 yards to twoand-a-half feet.
“What I’m proudest of is still playing with that freedom, going out tied for the lead,” said the four-time Major winner. “Just putting my foot down and making this tournament mine.
“Being more aggressive. By the time I got to the 14th tee I wasn’t really thinking of winning the tournament. I was thinking of trying to shoot 59.
“This is what I feel I can do. I’ve been able to do it before. It was nice to get back to that feeling.”
The last man to win the event before then claim a Major was McIlroy when he captured the 2014 WGCBridgestone Invitational and then the US PGA. He will now try to ride his hot streak from Canada to California.