Rory McIlroy ‘comfortable’ with game against The Players and has moved on from visit to Bay Hill ‘drunk’ | Golf News

McIlroy won The Players in 2019 but missed his chance when defending his title last year, with the 32-year-old crowning the top 20 in every game starting around the world since August; Watch the top PGA Tour event live throughout the week on Sky Sports’ dedicated Players channel.

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2019 Championship player Rory McIlroy says he feels more comfortable this year missing the cut after shooting 79 in the final edition of the competition.

Rory McIlroy insists he is unlikely to repeat last year’s Players Championship nightmare as he challenges for a second TPC Sawgrass win this week.

The former world No. 1 struggled to defend his delayed 2019 Players’ Championship title, missing his chance spectacularly after finishing the opening round 79 with a three-over-75 result. on the next day.

McIlroy admits after his early departure last year he was “suck” into mimicking Bryson DeChambeau’s big shots, leading to problems with his swing, although the 32-year-old feels it His game is in much better shape after a strong start to 2022.

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World number one Jon Rahm says whoever wins this week’s Players’ Championship is ‘truly the best in the world’ due to the quality of the pitch and court.

“I didn’t know it was 79 years old last year – I tried to forget about it, but thanks for reminding me,” McIlroy joked during his pre-tournament press conference. “I came here last year not very confident in my golf game.

“I don’t feel like I played well. I almost missed two stages. I feel a lot more comfortable with my game this year.

“I don’t want fate to tempt fate, but it’s going to take a drastic change in my game between now and Thursday for me to go and shoot 79 in the first round, but that’s golf and you never know.”

McIlroy had to pull off a nasty finish against the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, which had taken a two shot lead after opening day before stumbling to win in the 76th minute at the weekend.

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Rory McIlroy won a double at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after an overkill on the 12th at Bay Hill.

The four-time major champion said on Sunday that he will only need a day to get over his unhappy experience at Bay Hill, where he labeled the conditions as “crazy golf,” with McIlroy has since revealed that he is no longer alone in his “drunk punching” feeling from experience.

“There was a lot of alcohol being drunk in the dressing room when I got there on Sunday afternoon by a lot of players, so it’s not just me out there in trouble,” he added.

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The best action scene from the dramatic fourth round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, when Scottie Scheffler claimed victory at Bay Hill.

“Yesterday (Monday) was like a day off, a day of travel. We hit the road from Orlando. I did a quick workout here and got organized. I didn’t touch the clubs. I just left them. alone for a day.

“I think sometimes those Mondays between tournaments can be important, you just flip the switch a little bit and recharge, then you wake up on Tuesday morning feeling a little bit better about it. everything and you’ll do it again.”

‘PGA Tour can improve transparency’

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan insisted during his pre-tournament news conference that Phil Mickelson had ‘the ball in his court’ about returning to golf, though declined to rule out whether he has really suspended by the Tour or not.

McIlroy admits to ‘getting over’ Mickelson’s debacle as a whole, focusing on his comments around the Golf Federation proposed by Saudi Arabia, with the Northern Ireland player believing the PGA Tour could be clear. be clearer about their position in some situations.

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PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan reiterated that the PGA Tour is inheritance, not leverage after Phil Mickelson and the Saudi Arabia Golf Federation failed.

“I think the one thing the Tour can do better in general is transparency, whether that’s – yes, just with everything,” added McIlroy. “I think transparency and maybe it’s not like a closed store.

“I’ve always felt that a few bans or suspensions, I think all of that should be announced. I think that should be more transparent. I always say that. But that’s what I’m sure they do. are working and continuously dialogue in.

“I would say overall that Jay [Monahan] did a great job in weathering the storm of the pandemic, putting more money in the boys’ pockets, making this Tour the Best Tour in the World to go on. You only know to pick holes if you’re really trying to have any negatives, but overall, he and his team did an excellent job. “

Watch players live throughout the week on Sky Sports’ dedicated Player Championship channel. Live coverage of the opening round begins Thursday at 11:30 a.m. on Sky Sports The Players.