Major shift from Rory in switch to a more measured approach

Rory Mcilroy will be a “more measured and controlled” player in 2022 as his main outright goals are not tournament wins but the performance stats that will take him there.

Mcilroy admitted last year that he was caught up in the distance race after Bryson Dechambeau’s 2020 US Open victory.

But the four-time major winner is reining back on that as he begins a new season today in the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship, the DP World Tour opener.

“I used to sit down on the flight here and write down my year’s goals,” he said. “Like I want to win five times, I want to win a major, I want to win the Race to Dubai, I want to win the Fedexcup.

“Of course I still want to do all those things. I’d love to win six times in a season. I’ve never done that before.

“But I think the biggest thing is I want to hit more than 60% of my fairways.

“I want my proximity inside 150 yards to be a certain number. I want my strokes gained putting to be a certain number.

“Having goals that are more objective and more that I’m in control of. I can’t control if I win five or six times a year. There’s so many other variables in there.”

As far as distance is concerned, he doesn’t need any more.

“I don’t need to (hit longer),” he added. “That goal of hitting more fairways means throttling back and hitting three woods a little more often, hitting clubs that are not as aggressive off tees.

“Just putting yourself in the fairways and maybe being a little more measured and controlled golfer.

“I’ll pick my spots where I can take advantage of the driver and hit it. But the best player of the last 30 years picked and chose where he hit driver.

“I’m not comparing my game to Tiger’s but he played a very controlled game and it didn’t work out too badly for him. There’s aspects of what he did so well I’d love to put into my game.”

It’s a new face for the old European Tour as it launches in 2022 under the DP World banner and Mcilroy believes it’s a great thing.

“Honestly, I don’t think it’s ever been in a healthier position,” he said. “I think the alliance with the PGA Tour is massive.

“I think of the young players that are coming through. I think of the fact that the first American ever won the Race to Dubai year in Collin Morikawa.

“There are young players coming through from either side of the pond that want to play over here and travel.

“Obviously the one disappointment for every European golf fan was the Ryder Cup last year. But I think it’s never been healthier. The tournaments are getting bigger. Sponsorship dollars are coming in to support event.

“Players are wanting to come back and play. I think it’s in a really good spot.”

He has no specific view on the next Europe Ryder Cup captain and doesn’t believe it is yet necessary to name him.

Mcilroy wants his game to be more controlled.