US TOUR NEWS:RORY MCILROY will look to reconnect with his putter as he aims to build on his top-10 finish at the Memorial last Sunday at the St Jude's Classic starting in Memphis today.
The world number 10 is one of a quartet of European big guns in the field teeing off at TPC Southwind ahead of next week’s US Open, alongside Pádraig Harrington, England’s Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter.
Harrington resumes tournament play two weeks after undergoing keyhole surgery on his knee.
McIlroy, 20 and already a winner on the USPGA Tour this season following his remarkable come-from-behind win at the Quail Hollow Championship last month, claimed a tie for 10th on his return to the United States last week.
Yet he left Muirfield Village in Ohio and travelled south to Tennessee on Monday seeking further improvements on the greens at the 7,244-yard, par-70 TPC Southwind course.
“It was a good week at the Memorial,” McIlroy said. “From tee to green I played really well, but having said that I shot five under over the weekend and I felt that I could have been 10 or 12 under for the weekend as I hit the ball great.
“It was a little frustrating for me on the Sunday as I couldn’t really get the putter going.”
While McIlroy flew in from Ohio, world number three Westwood arrived from California having made an early scouting trip to next week’s US Open venue at Pebble Beach, while number five Poulter spent Monday playing a New York links course at Long Island’s Sebonack.
Westwood, Poulter and McIlroy will be the highest-ranked players at what promises to be a hot and humid TPC Southwind, where the defending champion is Brian Gay.
All three of Gay’s wins on the USPGA Tour were achieved in sizzling, or at the very least warm, weather and he has often played his best golf in the high humidity of his native Texas.
“These are familiar surroundings for me – the Bermuda greens and warm weather,” the 38-year-old American said. “I’ve played my best tournaments through the years in Texas and throughout the south. My wins have come in Tennessee, South Carolina and south of the border (in Mexico).
Gay, who cruised to a five-shot victory here last year after leading for the first three rounds, said he has relished playing at Southwind since he first saw the par-70 layout.
St Jude Classic
Course: TPC at Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee.
Length: 7,239 yards. Par: 70.
Prizemoney: €4.6 million, €840,000 for the winner
Field: 156.
Defending champion: Brian Gay won by five shots from Bryce Molder and David Toms.
Time difference: Six hours behind.
On TV: Sky Sports 3 (8pm).
Weather: Hot and thundery.
