Golf

Rory McIlroy to deploy aggressive approach on Quail Hollow greens

World number one believes man of his putts were too soft at Sawgrass

Rory McIlroy believes he was hitting the ball too soft on the green at Sawgrass last week and he’s planning a more aggressive approach at Quail Hollow this week. Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Rory McIlroy believes he was hitting the ball too soft on the green at Sawgrass last week and he’s planning a more aggressive approach at Quail Hollow this week. Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Wed May 13 2015 - 21:32

World number one Rory McIlroy will take an aggressive approach on the greens as he looks to find his putting touch in the Wells Fargo Championship this week.

McIlroy finished eighth in the Players Championship at Sawgrass on Sunday after struggling to convert his excellent play from tee to green into enough birdies to challenge for the title.

But the four-time Major winner will be boosted by his impressive record at Quail Hollow as he seeks an 11th PGA Tour title, the 26-year-old having claimed his maiden victory on US soil here in 2010 thanks to a final round of 62.

"I'm really happy with where everything is from tee to green," said McIlroy, who has recorded four top-10 finishes in his five appearances in the event, including losing in a play-off to new Players champion Rickie Fowler in 2012. "So more of the same with that and just hole a few more putts.

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“I felt the ones that had a chance (at Sawgrass) weren’t quite rolling past the hole, they were just getting to the hole and sort of dying away. I was maybe just hitting putts a little too soft at times.

“I’ll try to get the speed a bit better and be a bit more aggressive on the greens and hopefully that will make a difference.”

McIlroy is rated a 3/1 favourite for the title while last year's winner JB Holmes and runner-up Jim Furyk are 33/1 and 20/1 respectively, but Holmes can boast two second places and a victory in the Houston Open already this season.

“Last year to be able to come out, get a win here at such a great tournament was obviously a confidence booster and this year I’ve just came out and kind of fed off that win and just continued to play well,” Holmes told a pre-tournament press conference.

“Being healthy is a big part of it and being healthy for a little while to be able to kind of get in the groove and just string a few good tournaments together.”

Holmes underwent brain surgery in September 2011 and claimed his first PGA Tour title since 2008 when he held off a charge from Furyk in the final round at Quail Hollow 12 months ago.

“It was a great moment,” the 33-year-old from Kentucky added. “I had a lot of hard work to get to there. It was more about not necessarily just that moment and the win, it was more about the collective and all the stuff I had gone through to get there.

“I dwelled more on that stuff and old, hard work I put in more than just that moment of actually winning but it was a great accomplishment, and lot of fun.”