RORY: I’M ON MAJOR
RORY McILROY has his eyes set on more Major titles as he prepares to defend his BMW PGA Championship crown.
The world No.1 was ranked 10th before his stunning victory at Wentworth 12 months ago, which came just days after he called off his wedding to tennis superstar Caroline Wozniacki.
McIlroy had also missed the cut in his two previous appearances in the European Tour’s flagship event but overturned a seven-shot deficit in the final round with a closing 66 to win the tournament.
The 26-year-old went on to win his third and fourth Major titles in The Open Championship and US PGA, with a first WGC victory in between.
And the Northern Irishaman, who will play one more event – next week’s Irish Open at Royal County Down – before the US Open at Chambers Bay next month, has already racked up three wins this season.
McIlroy said: “I’ve got off to a good start, three wins already this season.
“But I would be really disappointed if I wasn’t to win one of the next three Majors. I think that’s really what determines a good or a great season for me these days.
“My mind is focused on the next two weeks here and at the Irish Open.
“I just want to try to finish off this stretch of golf as well as I can and I get a couple weeks off after that. Then I’ll start to think about the US Open and get ready for that.
“I’ll probably go and take a look at Chambers Bay a little bit ahead of the tournament.
“But at the moment I’m just fully focused on these two weeks and try to play as well as I can here and then I’ll put the clubs away for a few days before turning my attention to the US Open.”
Manchester United fan McIlroy played the pre-tournament pro-am with former Red Devils players Phil Neville and Paul Scholes, as well as One Direction’s Niall Horan, who caddied for him in the par-three contest before this year’s Masters at Augusta.
He said: ”It was really good fun. We chatted a little bit about football, a little about golf, a little about other things.
“It’s always good to play with guys like that.”