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Rory McIlroy is off to Merion for two US Open practice rounds this week after a talk with coach Dave Stockton to try to help his golf game before next week's major showdown.
The 24-year-old Northern Irishman, who won his first major title at the 2011 US Open, spoke on Monday at Oak Hill, where he will defend his most recent top-tier triumph at the 95th PGA Championship in August.
"It is the strongest field in golf and it's great to be able to come out on top in a field like that," said McIlroy, who won last year's PGA crown at Kiawah Island.
McIlroy will play Tuesday and Wednesday practice rounds at Merion as he tries to finetune a game that has produced four top-10 showings in US PGA events, including a second at the Texas Open, but only a share of 25th at the Masters and 57th last week at the Memorial.
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"I'm playing pretty well. I need it all to click into place and, once I do that, I'll be off and running," McIlroy said. "All parts of my game are there. I just need to sort of put them all together for one week.
"I'm hoping that my sort of trend in the US Open continues, because I went miss cut, win, missed the cut, so hopefully I can win again."
McIlroy spent time with coach Dave Stockton at Memorial last week.
"Dave Stockton was at Memorial for a couple of days, trying to get me to hole some more putts," McIlroy said.
"The ball striking has not really been an issue this year. I've actually hit the ball pretty well from tee to green, and I've given myself a lot of opportunities, but didn't take as many as I should have.
"If I keep hitting the ball the way I know I can and hole putts, I'll hopefully be in the winner's circle."
McIlroy fired a three-under par 67 at Oak Hill on Monday in his first tour of the layout designed by Donald Ross in 1925.
"It's not overly long by today's standards but you have to drive the ball very well. It gives you opportunities to score, but you've got some holes coming in that are very tough."
McIlroy said the course could surrender its lowest score in a major event, breaking the six-under-par total for 72 holes fired by Jack Nicklaus in the 1980 PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
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