Rory McIlroy demonstrates no signs of a Masters hangover, continuing to compete competitively at the Truist Championship while still in possession of the green jacket.
In the absence of a green-jacketed monkey on his back, Rory McIlroy's primary concern heading into the season's second major next week seems to be a few minor kinks in his swing. His performances in the final warm-up at the Truist Championship in Philadelphia suggest even those issues are insignificant. Beginning his third round on Saturday, he was fourth, dispelling any doubts of a sustained Masters hangover.
A couple of dodgy approaches aside, McIlroy's putting and driving appeared largely solid, promising a strong showing at the US PGA Championships at Quail Hollow. The sheer length he wields off the tee and the relatively lenient penalties for minor driving inaccuracies make McIlroy a deserving favorite, although victories for Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau in the last weekend on the PGA Tour and LIV respectively create an intriguing confluence of in-form competitors.
Equally intriguing is McIlroy's response to having finally completed his masterpiece at Augusta. Some believe that after capturing his fifth major and ending a decade-long wait, he will now propel himself towards six major championships with renewed vigor. Two-time US Open Curtis Strange has already suggested the possibility of McIlroy claiming all four majors in a calendar year.
While golf has never witnessed this feat before, the McIlroy hype train has a knack for generating outlandish predictions. McIlroy himself has acknowledged the need to recalibrate from Augusta and build on a season already marked by significant Tour victories at Pebble Beach and the Players Championship.
As McIlroy himself put it, "Obviously, the Masters is at the forefront of everyone's mind because of what it meant and how I did it and all that stuff. For me, it's great that I was able to do it. It's not that I'm leaving it in the rearview mirror, but I've got a lot of golf still left to play this year. I want to really try to focus on that."
Byes have been made to resist any temptation to insert himself into golf's messy politics. He remains on the PGA Tour's transaction committee, preoccupied with those ongoing, contentious talks with the Saudis, but after being excluded from their policy board last summer, there is no doubting the improvements in his form.
As McIlroy mentioned on Friday night, "I'm certainly not involved too much in the politics of everything. I think at this point, I don't care. I want to play golf, and the reason I got into this game was to shoot scores and try to play the best golf possible, not really be concerned about how the Tour is run or the business of the Tour. I'm happy with where I'm at right now."
The stability leading into this portion of the season is noticeable. Aside from this week in Philadelphia and a team event alongside Shane Lowry in New Orleans, McIlroy's month since the Masters has been low-key. This downtime included a family trip to see the house they are building in Surrey and a visit to his parents in Northern Ireland, but his focus remains on maximizing his current form.
Compared to this time a year ago, when divorce proceedings were underway, McIlroy has less weight on his shoulders than at any point in recent years. Quail Hollow offers the potential to elevate these circumstances into a fresh level of hype for this latest stage of McIlroy's career.
News about Rory McIlroy's upcoming performance at the US PGA Championships at Quail Hollow has created a buzz in the sports world, with many golf enthusiasts looking forward to his strong showing, given his solid putting and driving in the recent Truist Championship. Business news have been discussing McIlroy's potential success at Quail Hollow, citing his length off the tee and the relatively lenient penalties for minor driving inaccuracies that makes him a deserving favorite. Meanwhile, politics continues to play a role in McIlroy's career, as he remains on the PGA Tour's transaction committee, preoccupied with ongoing, contentious talks with the Saudis, even after being excluded from their policy board last summer.
