Rory McIlroy finished what has been a poor week at the Truist Championship on a positive note.
McIlroy carded a final round 67 at Quail Hollow on Sunday and jumped back inside the top 25 in the process.
The 37-year-old Northern Irishman’s performance in Charlotte, North Carolina, this week has hardly been ideal preparation for him ahead of the PGA Championship.
Rory McIlroy has won the PGA Championship twice before – in 2012 and 2014, and he’ll be hopeful of earning his third Wanamaker trophy next week at Aronimink.
The six-time major champion decided to warm up for the second major of the year at the Truist Championship this week.
However, things haven’t gone entirely to plan for him in Charlotte.
McIlroy recorded his ninth worst statistical round of his career at the Truist on Saturday on his way to shooting a 75.
He bounced back superbly by shooting four-under par on Sunday and addressed the media post-round.
Why Rory McIlroy was limping at the Truist days before the PGA Championship
After his final round at Quail Hollow, McIlroy was asked by one reporter whether he was limping out on the golf course.
“Yeah, I’ve got a blister on my pinky toe on my right foot,“ the six-time major champion said.
“But it’s underneath my nail. So I can’t really get to it or so it’s a little sore, but I’ll be all right. Started to feel it like Friday afternoon.“
McIlroy then responded when asked if the blister affected his performance this week.
“No, not at all. No, that was — I wish that was an excuse, but absolutely not (laughing),“ he replied.
He was then asked whether he is concerned about the blister on his toe.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll be okay,“ he replied.
So it seems as though it is all systems go for McIlroy ahead of the PGA Championship.
The secret behind Rory McIlroy’s eight-shot improvement on Sunday
McIlroy responded when asked by reporters to explain his huge turnaround from Saturday to Sunday.
“Yeah, I got off to a good start, but I hit the ball better,“ McIlroy said.
“I started to hit it left yesterday with everything. I spent a good bit of time on the range last night just trying to straighten it out.
“The range this week, the wind has predominantly been off the left, so I think when you hit a lot of balls in a left-to-right wind you start to aim a little bit left, your club face can get a little bit closed at impact just to try to counteract that wind.
“So hitting balls the last five or six days in that left-to-right wind on the range I just started to miss some left on the course.
“So I was trying to figure it out a little bit on the range last night, which I felt like I did and I hit the ball much better today.“
While Rory McIlroy won’t be overjoyed by his form at the Truist Championship this week, he will be delighted that he has at least found something to work with heading into the PGA Championship next week.
