DROUGHT TO MAKE A STIR

Rory focuses on pre-lockdown form to land first Major in six years

RORY McILROY will use his pre-lockdown form as inspiration as he seeks an end to his six-year Major drought. And the Ulsterman will also look to his previous win at Harding Park for confidence when he tees off in the US PGA today. McIlroy won all seven matches as he claimed the WGC-Match Play on his first appearance at the

San Francisco course in 2015.

And the four-time Major winner was close to that sort of level as he returned to world No.1 in March during a stretch of seven consecutive top-five finishes around the world.

But since the return of the PGA Tour in June, McIlroy’s only top-30 finish in five appearances was tied 11th at the Travelers Championship. And the world No.3 arrives at the first Major of the year needing another change to his strange season. “Before the world sort of shut down, I was playing some really good golf, consistent,” he said.

“And then, having that three-month break, coming back, everything sort of changed. Everything feels different, in the competitive arena, anyway. “It’s the first Major in over a year, and it would be a great week to get back into some go out there and do the best that you can.” For the next two days it might actually be an advantage as he has been drawn with Tiger Woods and new world No.1 Justin Thomas (left).

Only two men – Brooks Koepka last year and Vijay Singh at the 2004 US PGA – have ever won a Major after being paired with Woods in the opening rounds. McIlroy revealed the last time he paid for a round of golf was in 2005, when he handed over 250 Euros to play Valderrama.

“I spent a few months’ worth of pocket money to go and play,” he joked.

But his sixth anniversary since his second US PGA win in the dark at Louisville is getting serious.

Koepka has won four in that time, while a new generation of young stars like Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland are coming through. Time does not wait for a 31-year-old.

“It doesn’t keep me up at night and I don’t think about it every day, but when I play these Major championships, it’s something that I’m obviously reminded of,” said McIlroy.

“But the good thing is we’re playing seven Majors in the next 12 months basically. I’ve got plenty of opportunities coming my way.”

The last time McIlroy played his opening hole at a Major he took a quadruple-bogey eight at Royal Portrush on his way to a 79 and missing the cut.

The last time he shot a first-round 66 was at the 2014 US PGA.

“If you look at my Major wins, I’ve been off to a fast start every time,” he said.