Not one for living in anyone’s shadow, Rory McIlroy – who has occupied the world number one spot for the past nine months and seems likely to carry that accolade into the foreseeable future – is intent on keeping the pedal to the metal, so to speak, following his return to the winner’s enclosure.
With a second WGC title on his CV, the Northern Irishman, 26 years of age as of Monday, moves on to The Players at Sawgrass with the intention to continue playing right up to – and including – the Irish Open. It means a run of five straight tournaments, also taking in next week’s Wells Fargo at Quail Hollow, his defence of the BMW PGA at Wentworth and then hosting and playing in the Irish Open at Royal County Down. It is a hectic itinerary but one that offers the potential to go on another of his hot streaks.
With so many eyes focused on Jordan Spieth since the American's win at the Masters last month, McIlroy – lest we had forgotten – hadn't gone away. He assumed the world's number one position after winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last August (a win sandwiched in between his Major successes at the British Open and the US PGA) and has remained there ever since with intent to stay there for some time yet.
"I just want to keep increasing it," remarked McIlroy of his lead over Spieth in the world rankings, which now stands at a 3.57 points average. For some perspective, that is the same margin that separates Spieth from number 10-ranked Sergio Garcia. "I've got a few more opportunities over the next few weeks. Ultimately, it is about wins. If you win, it sort of takes care of all that stuff."
Claret Jug
This win was McIlroy’s fifth globally going back to lifting the Claret Jug at Hoylake last July, a success that kick-started a streak that would take in Akron and Valhalla in successive tournaments. Similarly, his US PGA win at Kiawah Island in 2012 was the spur to a late-season run that also took in back-to-back titles at the FedEx Cup’s Deutsche Bank and BMW Championships.
McIlroy's form since Hoylake – and allowing for time-out earlier this year in the midst of the court action with his former management company Horizon Sports – bears comparison with Tiger Woods in his prime: in those 20 tournaments, he has registered five wins, five runners-up finishes and has missed just one cut. In that run, he has had 14 top-five finishes.
What was particularly impressive in McIlroy's win in the Matchplay, though, was that he wasn't always at his best yet found a way to win. In his match with Billy Horschel, coming from two down with two to play to win in extra holes. The same with Paul Casey. And, then, seeing off Jim Furyk with a run of birdie-birdie-eagle to claim a semi-final win. He didn't need any such dramatics in the final with Gary Woodland. By then, he was the one in control.
“It was nice to get the job done, really satisfying . . . now we move on (to The Players at Sawgrass) and try to do it again,” said McIlroy, who felt there would be no physical or mental hangovers from playing seven matches in five days.
Timely reminder
As he explained, “I got to the final (of the Matchplay) in Tucson a couple of years ago and then went out the next week and won at (the) Honda (Classic). I don’t feel like there will be any sort of fatigue or tiredness.” McIlroy took Monday – his birthday – off, planning to do a little practice today and then arrive at Sawgrass tomorrow, in his pursuit of a tournament title that so far has eluded him. “I’ll be ready to go on Thursday,” he said.
McIlroy’s win was also a timely reminder of actually who is the world’s number one. As Woodland, the vanquished finalist observed: “I’m sure(Spieth’s win in the Masters motivated Rory a little bit. You don’t like anybody to steal any of your light, and Jordan definitely took a lot of light from him.”
McIlroy acknowledged: “It’s nice to have people pushing you, and I feel like (Spieth) is one of the guys doing that right now . . . I think everyone, not just me, but everyone on Tour, was inspired seeing Jordan do what he did at Augusta.”
Having had a relatively quiet spring schedule – just seven tournaments, two of them on the Gulf Swing early in the season and five in the USA – which nevertheless garnered two wins, McIlroy is set for a sustained run of events up to the Irish Open. After that, he will likely take a two-week break before resuming tournament play at the US Open at Chambers Bay outside Seattle.
McIlroy is part of a five-strong Irish contingent competing in The Players at Sawgrass, where he is joined by Graeme McDowell, Shane Lowry, Pádraig Harrington and Darren Clarke.
All of the top-50 players in the world rankings are competing, along with Tiger Woods who is competing for the first time since the Masters.
