Rory McIlroy sends bullish message to his rivals ahead of PGA Championship as world No 2 looks to follow up his Masters triumph

For each the clip helium spent successful the unsmooth implicit the weekend, Rory McIlroy says helium is successful a ‘good place’ going into the season’s 2nd major.

No uncertainty that consciousness of comfortableness is drawn arsenic from the recency of the Masters and the forthcoming surroundings of the PGA Championship. Of each the courses connected the circuit, nary has been bent to McIlroy’s volition rather similar Quail Hollow implicit the years.

That helium has won determination 4 times volition beryllium a recurring talking constituent betwixt present and Thursday’s archetypal round, though determination is besides a insignificant question to inquire astir the show of his strongest weapon.

It mightiness suffice arsenic nitpicking aft a credible seventh-placed decorativeness astatine the Truist Championship — his 5th consecutive top-10, including 2 wins — but missing 20 of 28 fairways successful Philadelphia does constituent to country for improvement. In moderation of immoderate concern, it should beryllium highlighted that Quail Hollow, astatine a immense 7,626 yards, favours brute magnitude implicit accuracy, which is precisely the mode McIlroy plays.

His anxieties look minimal up of the travel to Charlotte, North Carolina. ‘I deliberation I'm successful a bully place,’ the satellite No 2 said. ‘I didn't consciousness similar I played each that good and I inactive finished seventh. Even what I consciousness is my atrocious golf, I'm inactive determination oregon thereabouts.

‘A mates small improvements and small tweaks, particularly going to a spot I emotion similar Quail Hollow, and I consciousness similar I'm successful a truly bully spot.’

On his driving, the satellite No 2 added: ‘I benignant of struggled with this arsenic good successful Houston (the Houston Open successful March, successful which helium was fifth), whenever we get these big, wide, unfastened play courses wherever there's not a ton of definition. I deliberation I would person deed much fairways if it had been histrion lined.

‘I felt similar I drove it a small amended connected the backmost 9 connected Sunday, which was good. Overall I felt similar I got a small amended arsenic the week went on.

‘I've got a amended gauge of wherever my crippled is lasting present close present than I did astatine the commencement of the week. It was a bully week for that. I privation I had gotten myself into contention a small spot more, but it was a bully week, particularly looking up to the PGA.’

In a conflict of Ryder Cup team-mates, Sepp Straka bushed Shane Lowry connected the last spread for his 2nd PGA Tour triumph of the season.