Where once the mere mention of Sawgrass was probably sufficient for him to break into a cold sweat, Rory McIlroy's acceptance that the driver would, more often than not, remain in his bag has signalled a marked improvement in his recent appearances at The Players.
The 25-year-old Northern Irishman took time to figure a strategy for the course. In his first three appearances – in 2009, 2010 and 2012 – McIlroy missed the cut and it was only in 2013, when he finished tied-eighth in what was the first of three successive top-10 finishes, that the more conservative tactics off the tee have resulted in stronger performances.
“I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with Sawgrass,” said McIlroy, whose tied-fourth finish in the Wells Fargo championship suggested the tweaks to his swing, incorporated with the help of coach Michael Bannon since the Masters last month, have bedded in. “I finally accepted that I can’t hit driver as much as I would like there. I always felt it was a course that handcuffed me a little bit.”
Of his changed strategy, McIlroy explained: “The things [like driving] that give me an advantage over some of the field [in other events] don’t really give me an advantage there. So, the first few years I was quite stubborn and still trying to take on a lot of things instead of accepting the fact that I’m going to have to play the course the way everyone else plays it.”
Frustrate
He added: “If I’m going to beat them, I have to beat them with approach shots and good wedge play and putting. I feel like I’ve accepted the golf course a little bit more. It’s a golf course that can frustrate you as well. It’s one of those places that you feel like you played well but you walk off, [saying] ‘how did that just get away from me?’
“I’ve learned to at least like the place for that week and accept this is the way I have to play and the last couple of years it’s paid off somewhat. At least I’ve improved. Hopefully I can improve a little bit again.”
McIlroy, the world number three, heads a four-strong Irish contingent that also features Shane Lowry and Padraig Harrington – both seeking to bounce back from missed cuts at Quail Hollow – and Graeme McDowell.
Of those tweaks to his game, McIlroy – who is host to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at The K Club next week – said: “I feel like just a slight tweak here and there, we’ll be able to go into this stretch of golf and ultimately in the US Open [at Oakmont next month] in really good form. I’ve seen enough positive signs to know I’m on the right track.”
The Players – with a cheque of almost $2 million (€1.75 million) to the winner – is the flagship event of the PGA Tour and will also see Danny Willett return to competition for the first time since he won the US Masters last month. Willett is one of no fewer than 13 players competing at Sawgrass who are committed to playing in the Irish Open next week.
Elsewhere, Séamus Power, who made a breakthrough win on the Web.com Tour last week, returns to competition in the Rex Hospital tournament at Raleigh North Carolina in his on-going quest to nail down a full PGA Tour card for next season.
