Rory McIlroy resumes his battle with Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler for the world No 1 spot; The 33-year-old is at present high of the rankings after successful two of the final three occasions. Watch the WM Phoenix Open dwell on Sky Sports activities Golf from 7.30pm on Thursday
By Amar Mehta
Final Up to date: 08/02/23 7:52pm
Rory McIlroy gained in Dubai on the finish of January
Rory McIlroy thinks he has by no means been a extra “full” participant and is assured he can double his tally of titles.
The 33-year-old has gained two of his final three occasions and has not completed exterior the highest 4 in his final seven as he resumes his battle with Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler for the world No 1 spot on the Phoenix Open, dwell on Sky Sports activities Golf from Thursday.
McIlroy was victorious on the Dubai Desert Basic on the finish of final month, his thirty second profession title, however the Northern Irishman has no intention of resting on his laurels.
“I am enjoying nicely, I really feel like consistency-wise I have been pretty much as good as I ever have been in my profession,” he mentioned.
“I mentioned on the finish of final 12 months I really feel as full a participant as I ever have. In case you take a look at my statistical classes, there is not any actual evident weaknesses there, and I labored actually laborious on that to attempt to turn into a extra well-rounded participant.
“I feel the outcomes communicate for themselves as nicely over, not simply the previous six months, however actually the previous 18 months post-Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. I really feel like I have been on a very good run of kind since then.”
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See the second tens of hundreds of followers tried to safe a spot within the grandstand at TPC Scottsdale’s par-three sixteenth.
See the second tens of hundreds of followers tried to safe a spot within the grandstand at TPC Scottsdale’s par-three sixteenth.
‘I do not like being No 2’
Regardless of his advantageous kind within the final 18 months, McIlroy has not tasted success in latest majors, together with his final victory coming in 2014 on the US PGA.
His greatest aim stays successful The Masters to finish a profession grand slam, and he completed runner-up to Scheffler at Augusta final 12 months.
“I do not suppose I must be up right here if I believed my finest days weren’t forward of me. Like I can not be sitting up right here and speaking to you guys and attempting to win golf tournaments if I feel that the glory days are gone,” he added.
“You must be an everlasting optimist on this sport, and I 100 per cent imagine that I can nonetheless… I’ve gained 30-whatever occasions around the globe as an expert. There isn’t any purpose that I can not double that quantity going ahead. Like I really imagine that.”
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McIlroy banishes gap 18 water demons to seal Dubai win
McIlroy banishes gap 18 water demons to seal Dubai win
Together with Rahm, Scheffler has the prospect to take the world No 1 spot from McIlroy, and the American feels Rahm and McIlroy are enjoying higher golf in the meanwhile.
“I might say it is extra of a mirrored image, however I like being No 1 on this planet. I do not like being No 2,” he mentioned.
“It is simply form of a kind of humorous issues. Proper now I am ranked No 2, however I might say I am not enjoying the second-best golf on this planet; I feel Rory and Jon are just about neck-and-neck for enjoying the perfect golf on this planet proper now, so the rankings are humorous.
“It is simply an algorithm. You do not get any further trophies or something like that for having it for a brief time frame, however it’s extra of a mirrored image of different issues, I would say, however I do not like being No 2. I would quite be No 1.”
Scheffler: Full Swing is nice for golf
Each Scheffler and McIlroy characteristic within the Netflix docuseries Full Swing, out later this month, which gives a deep dive into the lives of the gamers on the Tour.
Scheffler feels the docuseries goes to be “good for the sport” and hopes it would entice a brand new viewers to golf.
“I would not say I used to be an enormous a part of it. I did not give them as a lot entry into my private life as quite a lot of guys did, however it was a great expertise, and I feel that was what — once I initially signed up for it, I do not actually suppose they needed very a lot from me, and impulsively I began successful tournaments and stuff, they usually had been like, we’d like much more stuff now,” he mentioned.
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“It was form of a troublesome stability, however it was quite a lot of enjoyable. I feel it’ll be nice for the sport. I feel it’ll get a complete new viewers watching golf, and it must be nice for our Tour and good for the sport of golf, as nicely.”
McIlroy wasn’t initially speculated to be within the collection however headlines a star-studded line-up, and he mentioned having his voice in it “may add a layer of context that wasn’t there already”.
“I form of took the perspective of see how the primary season works out, see if I prefer it, like the thought, really feel comfy letting cameras get into my life slightly bit extra. However I had a great chat with Chad within the summertime,” he mentioned.
“Clearly, with the whole lot that is occurring on this planet of golf, he simply mentioned having my voice in there not directly may simply add a layer of context that wasn’t there already.
“I made positive that the parameters had been very very like, look, you are not coming to my home, you are not coming in my automobile, you are not coming anyplace close to my household, however you need to do some stuff with me at golf tournaments, completely advantageous.”
Watch the WM Phoenix Open dwell on Sky Sports activities Golf from 7.30pm on Thursday
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