RORY’S MAJOR BOOST
RORY McILROY claimed his 29th victory as a professional on Sunday and it’s hard to remember another where he was quite so emotional. If you want to know the mental toll exacted from falling from first to 15th in the world in less than a year, and a victory drought stretching back 18 months, it was all on view on the 18th green at the Wells Fargo Championship as he struggled to keep the tears from his eyes and blew out his cheeks in relief. Just remember that scene the next time Rory has a slump and you’re wondering whether it’s because he has too much money. Recall the joy on his face as he savoured the ‘Rory, Rory’ chant from the large crowd. You can make justifiable criticisms about mental fragility on occasion or technical glitches, but never doubt his motives for playing the game. When he said last Wednesday that he wanted to cement his place in the game’s history, he meant it with every fibre. Another thing we’ve learned from the mercurial Northern Irishman’s career is that when he’s got that bounce back in his stride he’s pretty much unbeatable. In 2014 he ended a similar drought at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and followed it two months later by winning three tournaments in a row, including two majors. Now he moves on to the US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island next week. It’s seven years since McIlroy won the last of his four majors and a return to the place where he won the PGA by a record eight shots in 2012 feels like a gift from the gods. To think, at the Masters last month we were wondering if he was a busted flush. Get back on the major standard next week and, at the age of 32, all things seem possible again. ‘It’s obviously great timing to win again before heading back to a place where I played so well nine years ago,’ he acknowledged. ‘I know from the past that when I see the spark, things can move pretty quickly in the right direction.’ Two men gave him that spark. Two months working with Yorkshireman Pete Cowen was all it took to restore the distance control with his irons. A couple of weeks with renowned sports psychologist Bob Rotella has restored a layer of mental armour to go with the physical. When Rory’s winning, golf suddenly seems like a much better game. What a scene on the 18th hole at Quail Hollow on Sunday, when thousands of Americans basically ignored their own and cheered for McIlroy instead. Now let’s see if he’s got majors left in him.