The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
McIlroy says he has nothing to prove
Rory McIlroy insists he has nothing to prove as he looks to avoid a third year in succession without a major title by claiming a third US PGA Championship.
McIlroy won his second US PGA title and fourth major in 2014 but has failed to genuinely contend for another since, despite a share of fourth in the Open Championship being his sixth top-10 finish.
However, the 28-year-old could hardly hope for a better venue than Quail Hollow to end his barren streak having won his first PGA Tour title here in 2010 and cruising to a seven-shot victory in 2015, which featured a course record of 61 in the third round.
That has seen McIlroy installed as a 7/1 favourite ahead of Open champion Jordan Spieth, who needs to win to become the youngest player – and just the sixth in history – to complete a career Grand Slam.
McIlroy is the only member of the world’s top five without a victory in an injury-plagued season which has also seen him change equipment, get married and split from long-term caddie JP Fitzgerald.
But the former world number one believes everything is now in place to allow him to focus on winning another major title before his own attempt to complete a career Grand Slam in the Masters.
“I definitely don’t want to be in the mindset this week of wanting to make any type of statement or go out and prove myself,” McIlroy said. “I’m past that point.
“I’ve proven myself enough over the last nine years of my career. Obviously I wouldn’t have won as much as I would have liked this year, and there’s been a few components to that, injury-wise, changing equipment and stuff. It has been a bit of a transitional year.
“But I feel like everything’s settled. My health is pretty much where it needs to be so I just want to go out there and play well this week.”
McIlroy said he would wait until the end of the week before assessing whether Fitzgerald’s replacement, his best man Harry Diamond, would get the job on a permanent basis after being “inundated” with applicants.