Rusty Rory misses the roars
NICK DOUGHERTY claims that “rusty” Rory McIlroy is badly missing the crowds in golf’s big return.
But the ex-pro turned presenter reckons the sport’s belated first Major of the year can spark the Northern Irishman again after his blistering start to 2020 was halted.
Dougherty reckons McIlroy, 31, will be anxious to impress after slipping to world No.3 from top spot in recent weeks.
Ahead of this week’s US PGA at Harding Park, he said: “From a purely golf perspective, the shutdown came at a bad time when Rory was playing really well.
“He was late picking up his clubs because he took some time to reflect, which is understandable, but he then came out of an extended break a little bit rusty.
“The momentum he had before the pandemic and lockdown was lost. The impatience will be there because he knows how well he was playing.
“He won’t like being overtaken at the top by first Jon Rahm and then Justin Thomas as well. There is not encouraging signs in terms of his recent results.
“But he’s found it tough with no crowds. This tournament will hopefully give him that little bump in intensity that has been missing because this little blip will end somewhere and it could be this week.”
McIlroy has won at Harding Park in San
BY JAMES NURSEY Francisco previously on the PGA Tour in the WGC Cadillac Match-Play in 2015.
But he’s not won a Major since 2014 and his form since the coronavirus shutdown has been underwhelming.
He came 47th out of 78 players at the the WGC FedEx St Jude Invitational at the weekend with McIlroy also only finishing in the top 30 once in his last four showings.
It is a stark contrast to his early form in 2020 when he enjoyed top five finishes in his first four outings.
Dougherty said: “His iron play was superb pre-lockdown and ranked third. He is a long way off that now edging to towards the 100 mark.
“His driving is good which is important around this course and he has won at Harding Park before which is always a bump in confidence. He can still lean on something going there but will need an uplift in his iron play because that part of his game isn’t good enough to hold off the top guys.”
McIlroy has shots at Major glory at the US Open at Winged Foot on September 17 and the Masters on November 12 – where he just needs to add a green jacket to complete a career grand slam.
Dougherty said: “I fully expect Rory to be in full flow by the Masters.”