Feast or famine for McIlroy

RORY McIlroy believes he is close to a first win since September 2016 ahead of this week’s Honda Classic, an event which has been either “feast or famine” for the four-time Major winner.

McIlroy won the tournament i n 2012 t o become world No 1 for the first time but walked off the PGA National course during the defence of his title the following year.

He initially told reporters at the 2013 event he was in “a bad place mentally” and then issued a statement citing severe toothache as the reason for withdrawing.

“Obviously l ast year Sergio (Garcia) had won a tournament beforehand, DannyWillett the year before had won a tournament but I don’t think it’s necessary,” McIlroy said.

“To get a win under your belt going into it does make you feel a bit better but you don’t have to. I feel like that’s putting yourself under an awful lot of pressure.

“I’m close. I think positive thoughts and I’m very happy with where my game’s at. I feel like I’m just waiting for everything to sort of fit together. I feel like I’ve seen enough good things in my game over the past few weeks to know that it’s not far away.

“Feast or famine — that’s what my history’s been here. It’s a tough golf course and it magnifies if your game’s off just a touch. If you miss it by tiny margins here it can punish you quite heavily. But if you’re on, it gives you opportunities to score and that’s what’s happened.”

McIlroy admitted he was happy not to be paired with Tiger Woods again after saying the circus surrounding the 14-time Major winner in last week’s Genesis Open left him with a headache.

Rory McIlroy