Rory McIlroy insists he has mentally recovered from seeing a fairy-tale Irish Open victory slip through his fingers, but physical issues may be a factor in the BMW PGA Championship.
McIlroy looked on course to claim his first professional win on home soil on Sunday when he led by two shots with four holes to play at Royal County Down, just an hour from where he grew up. But while Rasmus Hojgaard completed a superb closing 65 with four birdies in the last five holes – including three in a row from the 16th – McIlroy bogeyed the 15th and 17th and missed an eagle putt on the 18th to force a play-off.
“I’m glad for the opportunity to get back on the horse again,” McIlroy said at Wentworth, where he won the title in 2014. “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 I misjudged the first putt on 17. But 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 happy to be here at Wentworth, the sun is shining, there’s not many better places to be. 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.
“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. I was second to Francesco (Molinari) in 2018, second to Shane (Lowry) in 2022. My form at this tournament over the last few years has been very good so it would be nice to just get another win on the board.
“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.”
McIlroy struggled with a nagging cough during his pre-tournament press conference.
“I’m okay, I feel a bit better than I was (on Tuesday),” McIlroy said. “Poppy’s had a cough for a couple weeks, gave it to me last week. Started feeling pretty rough Monday, Tuesday, so went to the doctor, on a course of antibiotics and I feel, energy-wise, better than I did (on Tuesday). I’ll be a bit wheezy this week but nothing I can’t handle.”
McIlroy will partner Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose and defending champion Ryan Fox in the first two rounds at Wentworth as he bids to increase his lead at the top of the Race to Dubai.
A sixth money-list title would take McIlroy level with Seve Ballesteros and within two of record-holder Colin Montgomerie, who won seven in a row from 1993-99 and his eighth in 2005.
Golf lowdown
BMW PGA Championship
Purse: €8.1 million (€1.45m to the winner)
Where: Virgina Water, Surrey, England
The course: The West Course – 7,267 yards par 72 – was originally designed by Harry Colt (first played in 1926) although in recent years has undergone a couple of renovations conducted by Ernie Els (firstly in 2005 and more recently in 2017) which involved extensive rebunkering, lengthening of a number of holes and a complete overhaul of all 18 greens (with creeping bent grasses) to bring them up to USGA specifications. Els called it a “delicate balancing act” in seeking to stay true to Colt’s original design philosophy while also trying to make it a modern-day examination. The finishing stretch of two par 5s on the 17th and 18th offers that dramatic risk/reward for the tour’s flagship event.
The field: Given its status as the flagship event of the DP World Tour there is a great quality and depth to the field headed by world number three McIlroy – a winner in 2014 – who will be looking to bounce straight back from his runner-up finish to Hojgaard in the Irish Open. Billy Horschel, another past champion, takes in Wentworth for the start of his late-year European Swing, with Adam Scott, Tommy Fleetwood, Aaron Rai, Bob MacIntyre, Alex Noren and Shane Lowry among others who have moved on from the PGA Tour season.
Quote-Unquote: “I’ll be a bit wheezy this week but nothing I can’t handle. I’m fine,” – Rory McIlroy, who is on a course of antibiotics for a cough he picked up in recent days.
Irish in the field: Simon Thornton is in a group with Ugo Coussaud and Fabrizio Zanotti (7.30am); Tom McKibbin is in a three-ball with Sam Bairstow and Edoardo Molinari (8.00am); Pádraig Harrington is grouped with Danny Willett and Bernd Wiesberger (8.10am); Rory McIlroy is in a group with Justin Rose and Ryan Fox (8.45am); Shane Lowry is grouped with Jesper Svensson and Bob MacIntyre (8.55am).
Betting: Although confessing to being under the weather McIlroy is the market leader at 11-2, with Tommy Fleetwood at 10-1 and course specialist Shane Lowry worth a look at 11-1. Matt Wallace is available at 30-1 and will bring momentum from his win in the European Masters, while Todd Clements has a market price of 325-1 and is worth an each-way look.
On TV: Live coverage on Sky Sports main event from 8.30am.
Kroger Queen City Championship
Purse: €1.79 million (€275,000 to the winner)
Where: Maineville, Ohio, USA
The course: After two years at Kenwood Country Club, the tournament moves to TPC River’s Bend – which has previously hosted tournaments on the Korn Ferry and the Epson Tour – and the Arnold Palmer design, opened in 2001, features water in play on five holes.
The field: The field includes four of the top 10 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, including the number one-ranked Nelly Korda; Olympic gold medallist and AIG Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko; defending champion Minjee Lee, and two-time LPGA Tour winner Rose Zhang. There are 11 players from last week’s Solheim Cup, including Leona Maguire, in action.
Quote-Unquote: “It kind of doesn’t feel like I’m defending. Obviously I won the tournament last year, but because we’re at a new venue it feels like I’m learning everything new and getting to know like a new place. It’s not the same as when you’ve been to the tournament and you feel the vibes from the course that you kind of remember from the previous year” – defending champion Minjee Lee.
Irish in the field: Leona Maguire is grouped with her Solheim Cup team-mate Anna Nordqvist and Australian Grace Kim (off the 1st at 2.31pm Irish time).
Betting: World number one Nelly Korda heads the betting at 6-1 with Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul at 9-1. Leona Maguire’s price has fallen dramatically in the last few days from 100-1 down to 70-1 but she still looks well priced each way at those odds following her great singles win in the Solheim Cup.
On TV: Live coverage on Sky Sports Golf from 6pm.
