McIlroy Quail Hunt Struggles Opening Day

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Rory McIlroy recovered from a poor start to keep his hopes alive of a third victory in the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte.

McIlroy won his first PGA Tour title at Quail Hollow in 2010 and has recorded five top-10 finishes in six appearances in the event, including carding a course-record 61 in the third round last year on his way to a seven-shot win.

But the four-time major winner, who is the only member of the world’s top five yet to win in 2016, had to settle for an opening 73 on Thursday to lie eight shots off the clubhouse lead held by Steve Wheatcroft and Andrew Loupe.

Starting on the back nine, McIlroy dropped shots at the 12th and 13th before carding a double bogey on the 18th, where he missed the green with his approach and three-putted from 13 feet following a clumsy chip.

A birdie from 20 feet on the second was followed by another dropped shot on the next, but McIlroy then two-putted the fifth for a birdie and picked up another shot from just four feet on the sixth.

The 27-year-old had come close to holing his tee shot on the par three despite a disturbance among the spectators, with McIlroy and playing partner Rickie Fowler appearing to point out the offender to security staff.

Another two-putt birdie on the par-five seventh made it three in a row and although McIlroy narrowly missed from 15 feet on the ninth to get back to level par, he at least had not played himself out of contention.

McIlroy has not played competitively since finishing 10th at the Masters and admitted on Wednesday he was attempting to fix some “bad habits” which had crept into his game before Augusta.

He said: “I knew I was going to have to sort of play my way into the next couple of weeks.

“I started off pretty well today but then there was just some shots where I was thinking so much about the swing rather than actually the shot that I was trying to hit and that was really the problem for the front nine.

“I would much rather be in red numbers but I’m much happier where I am now than I was three hours ago. I just need to go out tomorrow and shoot a good second round, something in the 60s, get myself back into the tournament going into the weekend.”

At the top of the leaderboard, Wheatcroft carded two eagles, five birdies and two bogies in his seven under par round, while fellow American Loupe was more consistent with seven birdies.

India’s Anirban Lahiri was on his own a shot further back, while the best British performer in the first round was Scotland’s Martin Laird — who on three under was a shot clear of England’s Justin Rose, Greg Owen, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter and Germany’s Alex Cejka.

Padraig Harrington carded 74 to leave him nine off the pace with three bogeys on the front nine followed up by a further two including his last on the final hole.

Shane Lowry also finished two over par after dropping a shot on the 17th after birdies on 14 and 15.

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McIlroy Talks Olympic Golf

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Rory McIlroy believes he may only have two chances to win an Olympic medal unless there is a change in attitude to the sport’s return to the Games.

Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Vijay Singh have all made themselves unavailable for selection for this summer’s Games in Rio, when golf is included in the programme for the first time since 1904.

Scott had previously said winning an Olympic medal was nothing he had ”ever aspired to do” and questioned the 72-hole strokeplay format for what he called ”an exhibition event,” while Oosthuizen cited “family and schedule issues” and Singh also expressed concern about the Zika virus.

McIlroy said in January that major championships would always be more important to him than an Olympic medal, but asked on Wednesday why he would be playing in Rio, the 27-year-old said: “Two reasons — Because of how it’s being approached in golf circles, it’s being played in Rio this year and Tokyo in 2020, I’m not sure if we’re going to have another opportunity to win a gold medal after that, depending on what happens.

“The second thing — Paul McGinley is the Irish team captain and he is so into it. He’s more into it than I am quite honestly, but because he is, I would feel like I am not only letting him down, I’d let the country down as well. Paul is a very close friend of mine and if I didn’t play I’d let him down big time.

“That’s why I want to go and give it my best shot. I’m going to get all my shots next week from the doctor on site at the Players (Championship), get my shots for Zika and everything else I need and go play four rounds really competitively and try to win a gold medal.”

Speaking in a press conference ahead of his defence of the Wells Fargo Championship, McIlroy added: “I don’t know how that will stack up against the other things I’ve done in my career now, but maybe I might look back in 20 years’ time and a gold medal might be one of my crowning achievements in the game. You never know.

“It’s an opportunity to do something you’ve never done before. I get that a lot of players aren’t playing because of family matters and other things, but while I don’t have those issues of a family it’s a good opportunity. If nothing else it will be a great experience.”

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This is My Time - Rory McIlroy

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Rory McIlroy is targetting his best-ever year after claiming his third title of the season at the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina on Sunday.

The four-time major champion, who completed a record-breaking seven-shot victory in Charlotte. defends his PGA Championship title at Wentworth this week and says his next target is to overtake Sir Nick Faldo's record of six major titles to become the most successful European golfer ever.

He told Sky Sports News HQ: "This year can be even bigger than last year. As you say, I have already got three wins and it is only the middle of May. There is still a lot of golf to play. I feel like my game is in real good shape,

"There is a WGC title already in there and there are three more majors to play. What I would love to do is beat my record of five wins in a year and I have got off to a great start in that regard.

"Ive played well before at Whistling Straits (US Open venue) and St Andrews (Open venue) and I think they represent great opportunities for me to do well again." 

McIlroy's win at Wentworth last year triggered an excellent run of form which has seen him win seven of the 23 events he has played in the last 12 months. The four-time major champion has finished second in four other events - meaning he has either won or been runner-up in 11 of the 23 tournaments he's played in the last year.

He said: "I definitely feel that it is my time. It is a great opportunity to win tournaments and try and get my major tally up there. It's not just about me, golf is not just about one person. The next realistic goal would be to try and beat Faldo's record as the best European ever.

"I've still got a few to get there. If I can achieve that, it would be huge - but 18 (majors) is a long way off. The competition from the other guys on the Tour just forces me to keep getting better but I will just continue to take it step by step. "

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McIlroy Roars to Fargo Victory

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Rory McIlroy overcame a nervy start to complete a record-breaking seven-shot victory at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte.

McIlroy's overnight four-stroke lead was barely threatened throughout the final day at Quail Hollow as he fired a solid final-round 69 to become the first two-time winner of the event, and he also smashed Anthony Kim's previous tournament scoring record by five shots.

The world No 1 was the overwhelming favourite to emulate his breakthrough win in 2010 after his scintillating third-round 61 had given him a commanding lead, which was extended to five shots when playing-partner and nearest challenger Webb Simpson bogeyed the opening hole.

There was a glimmer of hope for Simpson and the field when McIlroy three-putted the second green, and Simpson rolled in a good putt for a birdie to shave the deficit to three.

But Simpson dropped another shot at the next and, after matching McIlroy's cast-iron birdie at the long fifth, the American three-putted from inside six feet at the sixth for a double-bogey.

Both birdied the seventh, and Patrick Rodgers then emerged as McIlroy's biggest threat when he made three birdies in five holes to cap an outward 34, and he then followed with an eagle at 10 and another birdie at the 11th.

Rodgers then reached 17 under with further birdies at 14 and 15 that hauled him within three of the leader, but his hopes of pulling off a huge upset vanished when he found water off the tee at the treacherous 17th.

McIlroy faltered on the greens for the first time in the week, but he still managed to pick up shots at the 12th and 14th before turning on the style at the 508-yard 16th, where he smashed a 364-yard yard drive over the corner of the dogleg and clipped a gap wedge to 18 inches for a tap-in three.

The 26-year-old dropped a shot at 17 after a poor pitch from right of the green, but it scarcely mattered as he walked to the final tee armed with a seven-shot lead when Rodgers bogeyed the last to finish on 14 under.

Simpson managed to salvage a 72 as he played the fearsome Green Mile in three pars to earn a share of second with Rodgers, leaving the stage clear for McIlroy to roll in a confident putt for par to finish on a remarkable 21 under par and claim the 11th PGA Tour title of his career.

Phil Mickelson briefly got into the mix as he made three straight birdies on the front nine and added another at the 10th to claim a share of second on 12 under, but he then bogeyed the next two holes.

The left-hander rallied with birdies at 13 and 15 as he returned a 68 to finish in a tie for fourth alongside Gary Woodland (67) and Robert Streb (71).

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McIlroy Sets New Record

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Rory McIlroy further underlined his status as the best player in the world after taking control of the Wells Fargo Championship with a stunning 11-under 61 in the third round.

McIlroy broke his own course record at Quail Hollow after a sensational display of shot-making backed up by another solid performance on the greens as he stormed to 18 under par, four clear of joint-overnight leader Webb Simpson.

The world No 1, who fired a closing 62 to claim his maiden PGA Tour title in this event in 2010, began with a pair of pars before igniting his challenge with birdies at the third and fifth holes.

But after a par at the sixth, he then put together a remarkable run of nine birdies in 10 holes to pull five clear of the field, and thoughts turned to the possibility of a magical 59 when he holed his 11th birdie putt of the day at 16.

However, the prospect of making three birdies over the Green Mile proved beyond him as his tee shot to the 180-yard 17th ignored instructions to draw in the air and settled 40 feet right of the target.

McIlroy safely two-putted for par, and he did well to scramble a par-four at the last after his drive finished barely a yard from the creek on the left of the fairway before his approach bounded past the pin and found the rear fringe.

However, his second consecutive bogey-free round was enough to earn McIlroy a commanding four-stroke advantage over Simpson, who stayed in touch with the runaway leader with birdies at five, seven and 13 before he drained a 20-foot putt for eagle at the 15th.

But Simpson's drive at the last found the creek on the left, although he limited the damage to a bogey-five with an excellent up-and-down from 60 feet as he signed for a 68.

Robert Streb, who shared the halfway lead with Simpson, endured an erratic day as five birdies and four bogeys added up to a 71 which left him seven behind McIlroy, while Brendan Steele (68) and Patrick Rodgers (70) are a further stroke adrift.

Justin Thomas had set the early clubhouse target at nine under after an entertaining 65 which included two eagles in three holes on the front nine, but Phil Mickelson failed to build on a bright start which raised the prospect of a final-day showdown with McIlroy.

The left-hander cruised to the turn in 32 and atoned for a bogey at 12 with a birdie at the 14th, but he carved his final drive into water and went on to run up an ugly triple-bogey seven which saw him plummet to eight under and out of the running.

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McIlroy Shoots 67 at Quail

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Rory McIlroy’s finished his second round at the Wells Fargo Championship signing for a 67 on seven under par overall.

A poor pitch at the par 5 looked to have left him too much to do on the green but he rattled home from 30 feet - further proof that the work he did on his putting with Dave Stockton in the last few days is paying off.

On Friday the four-time major winner was in full flow and looked determined to take the tournament by the scruff of the neck going into the weekend.

When his drive at the 14th ran through the green 345 yards away minds were beginning to wander towards the possibility of the Northern Irishman breaking his own course record of 62 at the North Carolina resort.

However a sloppy chip left him with too much to do for birdie and an excellent chance of going three under par after five holes was squandered.

That missed opportunity perhaps played a part in McIlroy’s deceleration as he only managed one birdie in the next eight holes.

That trend was broken with a birdie at the fifth, his 14th, before another typically glorious drive was only stopped from crawling onto the green at the par 4 eighth by the front bunker.

From there a controlled splash shot to four feet was enough to claim another birdie before a par at the ninth saw him sign for a 67.

McIlroy’s round was somewhat less eventful than that of tournament leader Martin Flores.

The world number 248 finished third at Quail Hollow last year and this year’s performance is certainly appeasing the notion that certain golf courses just suit certain players.

Flores has missed four of his last six cuts but that poor form has been exorcised by the fairways and greens of Quail Hollow as eight birdies and three bogies eventually resulted in a 67 that catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard.

He is joined at the summit by American compatriot Patrick Rodgers who is eight under par with three holes to play.

Patrick Reed slipped back down the leaderboard during the second round, thanks to a two over par round of 74.

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All Wells Fargo for McIlroy

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Rory McIlroy was left frustrated by a ‘disappointing’ finish to his what he felt was a ‘solid’ first round at the Wells Fargo Championship.

The world No 1 struck six birdies during a solid opening 70 at Quail Hollow, although he would have finished higher up the leaderboard had it not been for a double-bogey on the penultimate hole.

McIlroy saw his tee-shot bounce off the rocks in front of the 17th green and land in the hazard, before he two-putted uphill after firing to within eight feet of the flag from the drop zone.

The late error leaves the world No 1 five strokes adrift of early pace-setter Robert Streb, but McIlroy, who won his first PGA Tour title in this event back in 2010, still had positives to take from his opening day.

“For the most part today it was solid golf,” McIlroy told Sky Sports 4. “I took advantage of the holes I needed to out there, but a bit disappointed with how it finished.

“For the most part today I felt I was pretty good on the greens. I did what I wanted to today.

“I need to get out there early tomorrow and hopefully shoot something a little bit lower, keeping the mistakes off my card for the next three days.”

McIlroy, looking to bounce back from a disappointing display with the putter at TPC Sawgrass last week, drilled in a 10-foot birdie at the first but dropped a stroke at the par-three second after leaving his approach short of the green.

Gains at the fifth and the seventh allowed the world No 1 to reach the turn in 34, before a tap-in birdie at the 10th was followed by a two-putt bogey from 15-feet at the next.

He shaved the hole at the par-three 13th with a 27-foot putt back-to-back gains at the 14th and 15th temporarily lifted him to within three of Streb heading in to the famous Green Mile, although lost ground with that error on the par-three 17th. 

McIlroy was then forced to save par at the last, finding the rough from the tee and then a greenside bunker with his iron shot, eventually chipping out of the sand to leave a three feet putt. 

The Northern Irishman is involved in one of the first groups out on Friday, beginning his second round alongside Ben Martin and Patrick Reed, who posted a first round 66, at 1pm UK time.

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