Rory McIlroy addresses key flaws ahead of The Open
Rory McIlroy has admitted he must eliminate a costly “bad habit” from his game before The Open after identifying a flaw that threatened to derail his Genesis Scottish Open challenge, reports BritPanorama.
The world No 2 looked set to mount a serious title bid after opening with rounds of 65 and 66 at the Renaissance Club, sharing the lead in the early stages of the tournament. However, hopes of lifting the trophy faded after a disappointing third-round 73, leaving McIlroy with work to do heading into next week’s final major of the year.
Although the Masters champion responded with a superb closing 64, featuring eight birdies, the Northern Irishman insists there is still plenty to address before arriving at Royal Birkdale. McIlroy believes he has now pinpointed the technical issue behind his inconsistent iron play and is determined to correct it over the coming days.
“I definitely hit it a little better today than I did in round three,” he said. “I noticed a few things in my game and my iron shots, especially this morning coming out for the back end of the third round.”
He explained that windy conditions exposed a recurring weakness in his swing, causing him to miss too many approach shots to the left. “It’s been pretty windy this week, and then when the wind on the range is off the left, I just get into that bad habit of hitting it further left than the path at impact,” he added.
McIlroy briefly reignited his hopes of victory after racing out of the blocks with five birdies in his opening seven holes, moving within touching distance of the leaders before slipping back. At one stage, he labelled himself “so bad at golf” following a poor approach shot that led to a bogey on the 16th, although he recovered immediately with another birdie.
Despite finishing the week on a positive note, McIlroy expressed a clear understanding of the work still required before teeing it up at The Open, stating, “It’s nice to sign this week off with a good score but I know I need to do a bit of work between now and next Thursday to feel really comfortable with my game.”
Having not won The Open since 2014, McIlroy’s upcoming challenge promises to be one that tests both his resolve and skills in the face of competition. Yet, as he prepares, he remains hopeful, reflecting, “I don’t feel like it’s too far away. There’s definitely some positive signs.”
