Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
McIlroy eyes No 1 slot
SPORTS Koepka absence at Torrey Pines opens door for Rory
RORY McI l roy ad m its he faces a “big ask” to achieve a career-first and reclaim the world No 1 spot from Brooks Koepka this week.
McIlroy can move back to the top of the standings for the first time since September 2015 by winning the Farmers Insurance Open but the four-time Major winner has never tasted victory in any of his season-opening events from 12 attempts.
“First week back out it’s a big ask,” said McIlroy.
“I read a stat that I’ve never won in my first week back but I’ve had a few decent finishes so maybe this is the week where I can get myself over the line.
“But if it doesn’t happen this week I’ll have chances mostly the rest of the season to get to number one so I’m not going to put that much pressure on myself this week to get it done.”
The good news for McIlroy is that he is not exactly slow out of the blocks at the start of the year, the 30-year-old racking up four runners-up finishes, three thirds and a fifth in his former favourite season-opener in Abu Dhabi, along with a play-off loss in South Africa in 2017.
However, only a victory will do at Torrey Pines to replace the absent Koepka, who started his season with a tie for 34th in Abu Dhabi and is having a week off before competing in Saudi Arabia next week.
Justin Rose was world No 1 after winning the title 12 months ago but that proved to be his sole victory in 2019 and the Olympic champion has slipped to eighth in the rankings ahead of his defence.
“I got into bad habits last year,” Rose admitted. “I swung the club poorly. I took a month off after this tournament. I felt like the decision behind that was to be fresh for the Majors. It just didn’t play out very well.”