Rory McIlroy insists there are no mental scars from his Irish Open disappointment as he bids to “get back on the horse” and claim his fourth win of the season in the BMW PGA at Wentworth.
The world number three had a four-shot lead after four holes and a two-shot advantage with four to play but lost out by a shot to a fast-finishing Rasmus Hojgaard after costly bogeys at the 15th and 17th.
“I’m glad for the opportunity to get back on the horse again,” he said “I think there may be a misconception that it hit me harder than it maybe did.
“You know, I didn’t really feel like I necessarily lost the tournament. I felt like Rasmus went out and won it. Shot 31 on the back nine.
“So yeah, I shouldn’t have missed the green right on 15 and misjudged the first putt on 17. But I mean, looking back on Sunday and the support of the crowds and that scene on 18 and everything, it was amazing to be a part of.
“Obviously just trying to look for the positives in all of it but yeah, happy to get here. My game is feeling like it’s in pretty good shape and I feel like I have another chance to win a really big tournament that means a lot to me.”
McIlroy is struggling with a cough he picked up from his daughter Poppy but feels he can be a factor at Wentworth, where he won in 2014 and was second to Francesco Molinari in 2018 and Shane Lowry in 2022.
“Yeah, it would mean a lot,” he said. “It feels like quite a long time since I won at Quail Hollow back in May, and I’ve come close here a couple of times.
“My form at this tournament over the last few years has been very good. So yeah, it would be nice to just get another win on the board. It’s felt like a while. And I’ve played some very good golf in that stretch, not just been able to get over the line.
“I think for me, it would just be wonderful to give myself another chance. Every Sunday that I get myself into contention is an opportunity but also a day to test myself and learn from the good, the bad and everything else. So yeah, just another opportunity would be nice.”
McIlroy is joined at Wentworth by Pádraig Harrington, Simon Thornton, Tom McKibbin and Lowry, who loves Wentworth after racking up a win, four top 10s and 11 top 20 finishes in 14 appearances.
“I love the place,” Lowry said at Royal County Down. “I love going back there. I love staying where we stay. I love hanging around the area, the crowds.
“I believe the forecast is pretty good, so it’s going to be a great event and I’m looking forward to it.”
As for the PGA Tour’s negotiations with the PIF and whether he’d be comfortable playing under the captaincy of a Lee Westwood or an Ian Poulter in a Ryder Cup, McIlroy intimated that the Department of Justice and opposition to LIV from rank and file members on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour was an impediment to the former and lack of familiarity with the “up and comers” just one of the stumbling blocks to the latter given they are ineligible after resigning DP World Tour membership.
“Department of Justice. Maybe different interests from the players’ side,” McIlroy said of the difficulties facing the PIF-PGA Tour deal. “I’d say — it’s pretty similar. I’d say maybe half the players on LIV want the deal to get done; half probably don’t. I’d say it’s probably similar on the PGA TOUR. Because just like anything, everyone’s looking out for themselves and their best interests. You know, it would benefit some people for a deal not to get done, but it would obviously benefit some people for a deal to get done.
“Yeah, I think there’s different opinions amongst the players about what should happen, and I think when you have a members’ run organisation, it complicates things a little bit, especially when should of those players are having to make decisions on the business side of things.
“So those are the two. I think the tours want it to happen. The investors certainly want it to happen because they can see the benefit for themselves.
But right now, it’s DOJ and differing opinions of the players.”
As for Poulter and Westwood, the DP World Tour felt obliged to add an NB to the transcript:
“Under current DP World Tour regulations, any Member who fails to comply with the minimum Counting Tournament Regulation in any one Official Season or who does not take up Ranked Membership in an Official Season in which he is so eligible (ie: falls out of Membership) will be ineligible thereafter to be selected as the European Ryder Cup Captain or Vice Captain.”
McIlroy said: “I think it’s hard because we don’t really see them anymore, especially — I’m not sure if Poults gave up his European Tour Membership. You know, you need someone around that’s comfortable. You look at what Luke has done the last few years, he’s really made an effort to come over. He played in Czech Republic. He was in Switzerland.
“He’s making an effort to be around the players and be — make the players feel comfortable with him, the up-and-comers that haven’t had a chance yet to be on a team or trying to make a team.
“With the guys that left, Poulter, Westwood, we don’t — how can these young up and comers, you know, build a rapport with them when they are never here? You can’t see them. I think that’s a really important part of a Ryder Cup and a Ryder Cup captaincy.
“I’m not saying that Poulter doesn’t have the credentials to be a Ryder Cup Captain, but I just think with the current state of where everything is, you need someone that’s around and showing their face as much as they can. Right now, that honestly just can’t be them because they are elsewhere.”