Rory McIlroy has shown his fortitude at Wentworth by putting himself in contention for victory again after enduring another cruel chapter in his heartbreaking season last week at the Irish Open.
Rory McIlroy has stated that he has taken his beating for a difficult season as he strives to draw a beam from a distressing summer of Wentworth Sunday.
The former world number one, now ranked 35, fired six- under-par 65 on Saturday to reach 15-under-par and joint second place at BMW PGA Championship, behind three shots Matteo Manassero. McIlroy had a great performance in Surrey this week although he failed to clinch a victory at the Irish open last weekend when he bogeyed the final two holes to allow Rasmus Hojgaard to victory by a stroke.
The conclusion at Royal County Down continued a cruel season for McIlroy, who has not won since missing out on US Open glory in June after a dramatic collapse at Pinehurst No. 2. The Ulsterman also missed out on an Olympic medal in Paris after coming unstuck on the back nine in the final round.
The world No. 3 prides himself on his fighting spirit, and he says the harsh results of this season have not affected him as much as people might assume. He says he is “due” a victory soon.
“I keep saying some people think I took it harder than I actually did,” McIlroy said after his third round. “I’m playing well. I’m working on my game. I’m going some good practise while I’m here. Trying to stick to what I know, which is going out there and trying to shoot the best scores that I possibly can and see where it leaves me at the end of the week.
“I think it’s been a familiar story with my career. I have setbacks and I usually come back pretty well from them. Some are harder than others, obviously, but I think in this game you have to be resilient.
You have to know that you’re going to fail; you have to be aware that you’re going to get picked more than you’re going to win and you have to be fine with it and you have to be cool with that. That’s me mostly on the accepting side for this year, but it was fun to be active this weekend.
I said I have not been a winner since may though I have given every opportunity a try. Still, I need to give birth but that doesn’t necessarily me mean it will actually occur. Anyway, I had always enjoyed this kind of position, a couple back at least, hoping to get off the blocks quickly. I also hope that I can do that and challenge early setters a little.”
McIlroy – who will be in the audience watching the Joshua v Dubois heavyweight title fight at Wembley Stadium later in the week – knows all about the fight it takes to win out at Wentworth from seven shots back, ten years ago he won the trophy.
“I don’t have to come from seven back tomorrow, just three,” McIlroy said. >I hope to potentially look at what Matteo is doing also and ideally be in the final group with them. Still, that’s a challenge on the court, especially when he’s playing as well as he is now. But if I can start early it is throw down the gauntlet.