The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
McIlroy has Georgia on his mind
RoryMcIl roy is determined to cut out the mistakes before the Masters after setting a new career best in birdies made at the Zozo Championship.
McIlroy would become only the sixth player to complete golf ’s Grand Slam of all four modern majors by winning the rescheduled 2020 Masters at Augusta next month.
T he four- time major winner from Northern Ireland has failed to recapture his pre-lockdown form since golf resumed in June, but he showed signs of being able to end 2020 on a high with a remarkable 29 birdies over 72 holes at Sherwood Country Club in California.
“It would have been nice to hole that birdie putt at the last, I would have made 30 birdies for the week,” McIlroy, 31, said after finishing tied for 17th at the Zozo Championship, which was won by American Patrick Cantlay.
“So I made 29, which is more than enough to win golf tournaments, I just need to cut out the mistakes.”
Only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods have won golf ’s four majors – the Masters, Open, US Open and USA PGA Championships.
But McIlroy will once more have that chance to join that elite club when he tees it up at Augusta on November 12, the Masters having been moved from its traditional early- April date because of the coronavirus pandemic.
McIlroy knows, though, that the errors that led to eight bogeys and three double-bogeys and saw him finish eight shots off the pace at the Zozo Championship must be removed from his game.
“Just limiting the mistakes more than anything else,” McIlroy told Sky Sports when asked what he will be working on ahead of the Masters.
“I don’ t think it’ s anything technical, but yeah, mostly just I’ve sort of compounded errors this week a little bit, and last week as well.
“I had a really bad run there at the end of the tournament to go from wherever I was in the top 10 to outside the top 20. So yeah, it ’ s basically that, when I get out of position.
“I’m trying to be really almost just too perfect and I’m maybe just being a touch aggressive when I get myself out of position.
“So just taking my medicine a little bit more when I do. That was sort of the story of the week.
“I’ve played tournaments where I feel like all I can do is make pars, which is not a bad thing.
“But at the end of the day, that’s not what’s going to give you chances to win tournaments.”
Meanwhile, Cant lay unleashed a late surge of four birdies in five back nine holes to steal a oneshot victory at the Zozo Championship in California on Sunday.
Starting the day three shots off the lead, Cantlay was among several players to make the most of good conditions on the front nine, carding five birdies against one bogey to turn in four-under 36.
But as leading pair Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm – ranked third and second in the world – stagnated on the back nine, Cantlay clicked into gear with four birdies between the 11th and 15th to grab the lead.
A bogey six from Cantlay on the long 16 th gave Thomas and Rahm hope, but the 28-year-old clinically parred the final two holes to complete a seven-under 65 for the win at 23-under for the tournament.
“I put in a lot of work and try to do the right things all the time, so when it all does come together, it’s really rewarding because it’s all that hard work paying off,” Cantlay said.
Thomas played steady golf, with four birdies and one bogey amid a threeunder 69, but was outstripped by Cantlay’s finishing burst.
Thomas ended tied for second with Rahm, who was well poised after five birdies through an unblemished first 11 holes before successive bogeys on 12 and 13, en route to a four-under 68.
McIlroy and England’s Justin Rose were the highest- placed Britons, finishing in a share of 17th place at 15-under, eight off the pace.
McIlroy carded a six- under 66, while Rose took a 67.
Matthew Fitzpatrick finished tied for 26th at 14under after a one-over 73, while fellow Englishman Tyrrell Hatton finished strongly with a 66 to take a share of 28th at 13-under.