McIlroy to Better Blue Monster

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Rory McIlroy is aiming to go one better at this week’s WGC-Cadillac Championship after a second runner-up finish of 2014 last Sunday.

In three stroke-play events this season the Northern Irishman has finished second in Abu Dhabi, ninth in Dubai and was only beaten in a play-off at last week’s Honda Classic.

The two-time Major winner came to the final hole needing an eagle to win, and almost pulled it off after a magnificent five wood approach to six feet.

McIlroy missed the putt and was beaten by Russell Henley at the first extra hole, but the World Number Six chose to focus on the positives of being in contention again.

“[The five wood into 18] is right up there,” he said. “It's probably the best that I've hit under pressure. 

“I don't think I can think of any other ones where I've needed it and been able to pull it off like that. 

“Looking at last week as a whole, there are definitely a lot of positives to take. I think I was up there in putting in the statistical categories, I drove the ball really well. 

“I was just disappointed with how I played coming down the stretch; it obviously wasn't what I would have liked. 

“But plenty of positives - getting myself in position to win, it was my third stroke play event of the year, and third chance to win. 

“If you keep giving yourself those chances, then hopefully learn from the mistakes, then you're going to eventually walk through the door and win, and then when you get into the habit of it, it becomes a bit easier. 

“But I feel like my game is there to get into contention again this week and that's what I'll try and do.”

McIlroy admits that it can be difficult to train for the nerves of coming down the stretch in contention, but The Ryder Cup star feels more confident this week having competed at the top of the leaderboard regularly since winning the Australian Open at the end of 2013. 

“For me, there's no better way to prepare for that than to be in it,” he added. “I don't think by putting yourself under pressure in a practice session or even playing Monday games with people, it's not the same thing. 

“So it's just about putting yourself in that position week in, week out.

“I maybe just didn't make as many committed swings as I should have at some points during the back nine last week. 

“But I know that, and if I get myself into that position again this week, I'll try and do a better job of seeing my shots and making more committed swings. But I don't think there's anything that you can really do in practice that can replicate what you're feeling on the back nine on Sunday. 

“You're not going to win every event that you play, but if you can give yourself at least a chance going into Sunday, then that's all you can really ask of yourself. 

“Giving yourself a chance and getting yourself into contention is what I expect of myself, and everyone knows that I didn't do that enough last year at all, and I've started this year better because I've been in contention every time that I've teed it up. So I'm happy with that.”

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McGinley to Name Europe VC's

Paul McGinley, Ryder Cup Captain for Team Europe, is expected to unveil in Dublin on Thursday Sam Torrance and Des Smyth as his two key members of the backroom team.

Smyth has long been a mentor to McGinley. “Des chaperoned me for the first five years on Tour,” McGinley said. The 61-year-old played in two Ryder Cups and was Ian Woosnam’s assistant at the 2006 Ryder Cup in Ireland. McGinley is extremely close to his countryman; as he is to Torrance.

With September’s match taking place at Gleneagles, Torrance makes sense. 

Torrance was McGinley’s first captain, in 2002 at the Belfry, and his brave tactics in stacking the top order of the singles with his best players made a huge impression on the Irishman.

McGinley holed the winning putt in the 15½-12½ victory but has always maintained that Torrance was the difference in the match and uses the example of his friend outwitting Curtis Strange as evidence that Ryder Cup captaincy does matter.

McGinley chose Torrance to captain Great Britain and Ireland against Continental Europe in last year’s Seve Trophy and although his side lost, McGinley was again impressed by the 60-year-old.

McGinley is still active on Tour and has made a concerted effort to get to know all of his potential players, so the age of his assistants does not seem as relevant as those of Tom Watson. 

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McIlroy on the Brink - Rob Lee

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Rory McIlroy is on the brink of bringing his 15-month winless run to a close, says Rob Lee.

McIlroy missed out on the Honda Classic as Russell Henley secured victory in a four-man play-off, the Northern Irishman paying the price after shooting a four-over-par final round in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

The 24-year-old began the day two shots clear of his American rival but unravelled before striking a sensational approach to the 18th hole that gave him a shot at the title he couldn't take.

McIlroy subsequently admitted that he didn't deserve to win the tournament and Lee commended him for speaking so honestly.

World-class plus

"You've got to love Rory for telling it how it is - there's no covering up or clouding over the issues and he feels that he didn't play the golf in the final round that he would have liked to have played.

"Having said that, it really does boil down to just one shot: the one he made his mistake on was his second to 16 from the left-hand fairway bunker. He tried to hit a quite fancy six iron draw shot when the squeeze left to right would have been better.

"But he went with the flair six iron and found the water. It was bad decision making. He got himself out of position in the tournament but then his second shot into the 18th was fantastic - he had a little peninsular of green to aim at and it was unhittable.

"But he hit a fairway wood into there to give him a chance for the eagle and the win; the shot he hit was 'world-class plus' given the pressure he was under after having a nightmare for 12 holes. He missed the putt and lost in the play-off, however, there were lots of positives for Rory.

"He could have won in Dubai, where he had a bad final round and he could have won here, where for him he had a bad final round.

"But compare this to a year ago, it seems that week-in, week-out Rory is in with a chance to win. He's putting himself, in his words, into position.

"That's all he's looking for, really; he's going to have his fair share of conversions as we go through the year so wins are around the corner. It might even be this week at Doral because he's one of the guys that can really bounce back really quickly.

"He's finished second here so it's not a disaster. What happened to Tiger is a disaster - he had a bad week and pulled out with a bad back, whereas Rory lost in a play-off and will move on."

With the Masters starting on April 10, Lee told Sky Sports News that Woods' withdrawal was most likely to be a precautionary measure to ensure he doesn't aggravate his lower back.

"Given that he's playing at venues that he's used to, Tiger would have liked to have had won once or at least really contended - that really hasn't happened. His golf isn't where he wants it to be and he's playing poorly for him.

"He was five-over par when he packed in at 13. He said he'd been having twinges on the range before he started and they continued through the round.

"Perhaps it's a protective thing to ensure that he doesn't damage it any further. But something in the back of my mind tells me that if he was in contention and leading by a shot, would he have carried on? The answer is probably 'yes'."

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McDowell Talks EurAsia

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"This is a lovely time of year, as I don't have to see the inside of a plane or stick my clubs in a flight bag for a few weeks.

With the PGA Tour based in Florida at the moment, I can feel the benefit of being based at Lake Nona, near Orlando. It's why so many European professionals, especially from Great Britain and Ireland, choose to live here.

Last week I could do all my preparations on the range at home before putting my clubs in the back of my car and driving to the Honda Classic in Palm Beach on the Wednesday morning. Sleeping in my own bed really helps keep the mind and body fresh.

The back of the range at Nona has been pretty busy of late. Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Peter Hansen and Henrik Stenson have all been there. In fact, it's been like a European Tour event.

I'm a bit different from the other guys because I like to play more rounds rather than spending every hour on the range. My dad's in town for a couple of months, so we are out most days playing a few holes together.

But most of the others spend more time on the range, so I'd be lying if I said there were loads of big money games going on.

I live just a drive and flop shot from the back corner of the range, which is set aside for touring pros. The facilities are great with a chipping green, wedge play area and putting green.

Me, Ian Poulter and a few of the others have carts decked out in European Ryder Cup colours, which we use when we go to practice. Fortunately there aren't too many American players based at Lake Nona - they'd probably throw up every time they see us!

It's not the type of environment where players would ever get bothered. I play with members on a regular basis but the practice area is a cool place where you can go and do your own thing.

We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to base ourselves in Florida. It has become home for me; I got married here and have settled down out here.

Portrush will always be home. But in many ways, travelling from there is difficult. It's an hour to Belfast airport and then you often have to connect through Heathrow.

That brings in problems such as losing golf clubs if a connection goes awry and you just can't get home on a Sunday night after a tournament. Throw in the added benefits of Florida's climate - and the facilities we have access to - and it becomes a no brainer.

This week, I will get in early for the WGC Cadillac Championship. I want to have a look at the Blue Monster course, see the design changes and factor in any new strategies I might need.

It's been the ideal start to the year, finishing seventh at Pebble Beach and then somehow claiming three comeback wins at the Match Play. I like that event, it simulates final-day pressure right from the word go.

It gave me the chance to tighten up all facets of my game; holing putts and making swings under pressure - so it was the perfect work out.

There's more matchplay on the horizon when I play for Europe against Asia in the inaugural EurAsia Cup in Malaysia at the end of March.

It's a shame the event is mired in controversy - with there also being the Royal Trophy, run by the Ballesteros family. I know Ivan Ballesteros has said that his uncle Seve wanted the Royal Trophy to be the one, in terms of a Europe versus Asia competition.

It's a touchy subject and a tough one to reconcile. The Asian market is very important to the European Tour.

I think one of the two matches has to stake its claim to be our equivalent of the Presidents Cup. It would be fantastic, in a non-Ryder Cup year, to have a really good strong Europe versus Asia match and I don't believe there is room for two of them.

It's a tough one, though. From my point of view, the EurAsia Cup sits very well. I didn't fancy either of the PGA Tour's Texas tournaments, one of which runs in late March and the other in early April. But at the same time, I wanted to make sure I played in the fortnight before the Masters.

So why not enjoy three days of team golf, keep my game sharp and spend some time with some of the European boys? I'll get to see Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley there and really get the juices flowing.

I hope it will be a pre-curser to September at Gleneagles and it will help me focus on what I'm trying to achieve this year.'

BBC

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Honda Play-off Loss for McIlroy

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Russell Henley came out on top in a four-way play-off to deprive Rory McIlroy of victory as the Honda Classic.

The pair, playing in the final group, both finished eight under alongside Ryan Palmer and Scotland's Russell Knox after a remarkable last hour at the Jack Nicklaus-designed PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

McIlroy had earned his place with a stunning approach to the last but faltered around the green when the hole was replayed for the play-off and it was Henley who prevailed with a birdie four.

McIlroy began the day 12-under-par, two clear of his playing partner, but both his birdies on the front nine were immediately cancelled out by bogeys.

He dropped another shot at the ninth to leave himself 11 under and it closed up further on the back nine.

McIlroy dropped another at the 12th and followed a double-bogey at 16 - where he hit out of a bunker into the water - with another bogey to fall out of the lead altogether.

Henley had pitched in at 14 for a second successive birdie but gave both strokes back at the next when he dunked his tee shot in the water.

Palmer bogeyed the last to fall to eight under and was joined by Knox, the Scot's double-bogey six at the 14th proving costly - but the pair were able to watch in hope while keeping loose for a possible play-off.

At the 18th, though, McIlroy produced a moment of magic to set up the chance of a fairytale winning eagle.

The 24-year-old's second shot carried the water and bunker in front of the green and stopped almost dead, 20 feet from the pin.

Henley responded by duffing his pitch on, leaving himself a 60-foot birdie putt which he lagged to within five.

McIlroy's eagle putt trickled just by on the right and after he tapped in, Henley also holed out to make the play-off and he kept his nerve to make birdie while his rivals fell away.

McIlroy said afterwards  “I didn't play well enough to deserve to win today. It's very disappointing. It was a perfect opportunity to win. No one was really coming at me.

“There’s a few positives to take, but obviously it’s going to be hard to get over because I had a great chance to win my first tournament of the season and I didn’t.

“It’s tough to take at the minute but I’ll sleep it off tonight and get back at it.”

Earlier, world number one Tiger Woods withdrew after 12 holes of his final round due to back pain.

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