McIlroy Treble Probable at Valhalla

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Rory McIlroy admits he is in the best form of his life at present, but he is not ready to launch the ‘Rory era’ just yet.

The 25-year-old from Northern Ireland continued his superb run by winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Akron on Sunday to overtake Adam Scott at the top of the world rankings.

That victory followed on from his third major success in the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool last month and he now goes for another major crown in the 96th US PGA Championship at Valhalla this week. 

"I've had a great run and I've played well over the past few months," said McIlroy, who has claimed eight top-eight finishes this season.

“I said at the start of the year that golf was looking for someone to put their hand up and become one of the dominant players in the game.

"I felt like I had the ability to do that and it's just nice to be able to win a few tournaments and get back to where I feel like I should be, which is near the top of the world rankings and competing in majors and winning golf tournaments.

"I'm not necessarily sure you can call that an era or the start of an era, but I'm just really happy with where my golf game is at the minute and I just want to try and continue that for as long as possible.

"People can say what they want to say, that's fine. But I can't read too much into it.

"Sometimes I feel that people are too quick to jump to conclusions and jump on the bandwagon and jump on certain things.” 

McIlroy is the 9/2 favourite with Sky Bet to win in Kentucky this week, but he has played down the hype as he prepares to tee up at a course he is seeing in person for the first time. 

"If you read everything that's being written, I would turn up at the first tee on Thursday thinking I had already won the tournament," he said.

McIlroy took a day off Monday to make sure his mind is as ready as his body for the challenges Valhalla poses.

"I needed just to recharge a little bit," he said. "Emotionally and mentally it's more fatiguing after you win tournaments than physically. So just to give your brain a rest is a good thing. 

"People can talk about my driving or how I'm swinging the club but mentally I just feel like I'm in a really good place and that's what I'm really happy about."

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McIlroy Needs Green Touch

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Rory McIlroy described his opening one-over 71 on the first day of the US Open at Pinehurst as "solid" but admitted he struggled on the greens.

The Northern Irishman, who won this tournament by an incredible eight shots at Congressional in 2011, couldn't find any such fireworks on Thursday even though he felt the USGA had set the course up more than fairly.

"It was quite scoreable," said McIlroy, who had three bogeys and two birdies on his card.

"There were a few generous pin positions out there, a few on the front of the greens A few tees were moved up as well and there was still a bit of moisture in the greens this morning.

"I'm sure that's going to change this afternoon as the dry and hot weather continues. But there's some chances out there to make birdies."

The 25-year-old ended his day on an up note with a 10 foot birdie putt at 18 although he admitted he found the greens tough.

"It was nice to finally hole a putt. I didn't feel as if i holed a putt all day. I hit a lot of fairways and I think I hit 14 greens which is really good for out here. I just struggled on the greens. I struggled with speed more than anything else. The greens were probably a little faster than they might have been the last couple of days so maybe a little bit of work on the putting green this afternoon.

McIlroy says Pinehurst presents a real mental test and that will be the key to success this week.

"A lot of patience, even off some of the great tee shots I hit today, you're still having to go at the middle of the green, firing away from pins.

"The guy that can continue to do that and keep his head and doesn't play too aggressive and know that par's a good score out there, they're the guys that are going to do well.

"71 is a solid start. I'm only three off the lead at the minute so It's not like it's a bad start. If I keep playing the way I played today I'll hopefully give myself a lot of opportunities for birdies out there and try and just play some more solid golf."

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Rory Now Alright Jack

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Rory McIlory has enlisted the help of Jack Nicklaus as he aims to win two of the year’s remaining Major championships.

McIlroy switched off his phone and even gave away his laptop to cope with the aftermath of his split from fiancee Caroline Wozniacki last month, an approach which paid instant dividends as he won the BMW PGA Championship just four days later.

The former world number one’s phone will remain silent during this week’s US Open and his Twitter account will be less active for the “foreseeable future”, McIlroy opting to revert to more old-fashioned means of communication with 18-time Major winner Nicklaus.

“I spent two hours with Jack Nicklaus last week in his office in Palm Beach and had a great conversation about everything; business, golf, brand, the whole lot,” McIlroy revealed in his pre-tournament press conference at Pinehurst on Wednesday. “And I got a lot from that.

“He said to me ‘How the hell can you shoot 63 and then 78 (in the first two rounds of Nicklaus’s Memorial Tournament). I said I wasn’t meaning to, Jack. I’m trying not to!

“He said to me he was never afraid to change things up in the middle of a round if it wasn’t going well. (If) he felt like he wasn’t swinging well, he’d make a swing change right then and there.

“I had a great conversation with Jack and I feel very honoured that I’m able to call him up for advice if I need to. He’s been very generous with his time. Some of the things he said to me, I’m really thinking about going into this week. He was a great US Open player (winning four) and hopefully some of those little nuggets of wisdom that he passed on to me might help this week.”

McIlroy initially approached Nicklaus during the Memorial Tournament, where he went on to finish 15th, only to have to change his plans at the last minute.

“I blew him off, actually, to be honest,” McIlroy added. “I was supposed to go for dinner at Jack’s house on Tuesday night, but I got in a little bit late, so decided to leave it until Wednesday morning and met him at his office.

“He’s always been really generous with his time with me, offered any sort of advice that I wanted or needed. To have that at my disposal has to be an advantage in some way. I don’t ring him up, I ring his secretary up and say, ‘I’d like to schedule a meeting, please’.”

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McIlroy Woods and Scott in Merion

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Tiger Woods will go head to head with Rory McIlroy for the first time in a major championship at next week's US Open.

Woods and McIlroy have been grouped with Masters champion Adam Scott as the world's top three players were put together for the opening two rounds at Merion.

The decision means Woods and Sergio Garcia will be kept apart for the first two days at least following their highly-publicised series of spats last month.

Garcia said he had been asked to wait until Merion to apologise in person to Woods, who said last week: "It's already done with. It's time to move on."

Garcia will tee off along with former Open champions Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink at 7:44am local time from the 11th hole in the first round, with Woods, McIlroy and Scott starting at 1:14pm from the first.

Ryder Cup team-mates Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer start at 12:52pm from the first with 2010 champion Graeme McDowell in the following group with 2003 winner Jim Furyk and Zach Johnson.

Defending champion Webb Simpson gets under way at 1:36pm alongside Open champion Ernie Els and 2012 US Amateur champion Steven Fox.

The full field will be completed on Sunday evening after the conclusion of the Lyoness Open in Austria and FedEx St Jude Classic in Memphis, with the world top 60 securing their places at Merion.

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Clarke Tips GMAC US Repeat

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Darren Clarke is tipping his fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell to launch a serious challenge for a second US Open triumph at Merion next week.

Former Open champion Clarke believes the Pennsylvania venue is ideal for McDowell, who won the title at Pebble Beach three years ago.

"With the course being a little bit shorter, it will suit G-Mac down to the ground," said Clarke.

"Merion gives him a fantastic chance to add a second US Open to his CV."

Clarke said McDowell, currently ranked seventh in the world, would be really looking forward to the 13-16 June event, the second major of the season.

"He has won a couple of times this season, at Hilton Head and then in Bulgaria a few weeks ago, so he is obviously playing really well.

"G-Mac can get it out there but he is not one of the big bombers so a shorter course suits him."

Clarke is hoping his own game clicks into place as he aims to make up for missing the Masters because of a hamstring injury.

"I am not competitively sharp, but I am working hard," said Clarke, who last played in the US Open in 2009.

"I am swinging the club well but am just not back into scoring mode.

"The US Open is the toughest test, they do not give you any margin for error at all. With the rough as thick as it is."

Clarke also predicted that world number two and 2011 US Open winner Rory McIlroy would soon be challenging for major honours again after his well-publicised change of sponsor and recent dip in form.

"Changing equipment is always tough, getting used to new clubs and balls," added Clarke.

"But he has so much talent and it will not be long before he is back up there."

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Kevin Phelan Majors in USA

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Kevin Phelan will compete at the US Open next week after securing his place in the major by winning the Sectional qualifying event in Florida.

Rounds of 65 and 70 saw Phelan finish on nine-under at the Ritz-Carlton in Bradenton, one stroke ahead of his closest challenger, American John Hahn.

“Patience really helped me today,” a delighted Phelan, who relocated to the United States with his family from Waterford a decade ago, told golfweek.com.

“It’s a tough finish; it’s easy to make bogeys coming in. (You) just have to stay patient.”

Phelan’s triumph at the Ritz-Carlton came on the back of disappointment. His collegiate career came to an end last week, when his North Florida missed out on securing match-play action at the NCAA Championship.

“It was definitely extremely disappointing to miss out on match play; we played really well all year,” said Phelan, who has a year left to complete in his psychology degree.

“It was a great atmosphere for the team. (But) we learn from the bad moments. We learn from the triumphs. You learn from everything.”

The 22-year-old has featured at the US Open previously, back in 2010. However, rounds of 83 and 75 saw him miss the cut.

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McIlroy Under Stockton's Wing

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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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