McIlroy still misses crowds

World number three trying to adapt and end recent run of patchy form

Rory McIlroy concedes he cannot use his unease at playing without crowds as an excuse as he looks to end his major drought in the US PGA Championship.

McIlroy has struggled in the PGA Tour’s fanfree environment since it returned in June, recording a best finish of 11th in five events since the restart.

Before the coronavirus shutdown the four-time major winner finished third in the Farmers Insurance Open and then fifth in each of his next three starts. McIlroy admits he has found it “easy to lose focus” without the noise and excitement of spectators.

“We all wish that we were playing in front of fans and have it feel like a real major championship, but I think we’re just lucky that we’re able to play golf tournaments at this point.

“For me personally, it’s just taken a little while to get used to that. It’s five tournaments in, I should be pretty much adapted to it now. ”

McIlroy’s last major victory came in the 2014 US PGA Championship at Valhalla, since when he has recorded 10 top-10 finishes in the game’s four biggest events.

Asked if a lack of victories in the majors weighed on him, McIlroy said: “It doesn’t keep me up at night and I don’t think about it every day.

“But the good thing is we have at least three opportunities this year, and then hopefully if things normalise going forward, four opportunities.

“So we’re playing seven major championships in the next 12 months basically. I’ve got plenty of opportunities coming my way.”

McIlroy’s patchy recent form was perfectly summed up by his scores in the WGCFedEx St Jude Invitational last week, the 31-year-old shooting 73-66-73-67 to finish in a tie for 47 th.

“There’s been good scores in there,” McIlroy said. “I shot a 63 at Colonial, a 65 to make the cut at Hilton Head, a 63 at Travelers, a couple of good scores last week in Memphis. So the good stuff is in there, it’s just the sharpness and being efficient with my scoring.

“Even the mediocre scores I’ve shot I’ve come off the golf course thinking, well, I actually didn’t play too badly, I just didn’t get a lot out of the round.”

McIlroy won seven straight matches at Harding Park in 2015 to lift the Match Play title and although the course set up and routing will be slightly different, such good memories can only be a plus for the world number three.

“It’s nice to have some memories around a golf course that you’re playing a major championship on. It’s nice to have those memories and be able to recall some of the shots that you’ve hit.

“Hopefully some of that can help me this week and can rekindle that sort of form.”

“We all wish we were playing in front of fans”

GROWING ACCUSTOMED: Rory McIlroy hits from the third tee during practice for the PGA Championship golf tournament at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco