McIlroy desperate to return to winning ways

It was a sobering moment when Rory McIlroy was reminded, in the first city in the world to hold an AA meeting, that its been five months since he last savoured the ‘addiction’ of success on either the European or PGA Tours.

McIlroy’s one and only victory this year was in the Honda Classic last March and in the intervening period, the current World No. 2 has managed a best of seventh some seven weeks ago in Memphis and more recently a share of 10th six weeks ago in the Irish Open.

However with just a month to the start of the lucrative FedEx Cup Series and a further month to the start of the Ryder Cup, McIlroy is desperate to again savour the adrenalin rush of success.

“I’d just love to get into contention and just feel the buzz of having a chance to win a tournament coming down the back nine,” he said.

“It’s something that is quite addictive and such a nice feeling, and I’d love to be able to do that at some point in the next few weeks.”

And McIlroy revealed, after being in a similar situation last year at Augusta, he sent Australia’s Adam Scott a text message following his British Open last four-hole demise.

“I sort of felt like I knew how Adam was feeling,” said McIlroy.

“I just said to him, don’t let the last four holes hide the fact that you played better than everyone else for 68 holes.

“It happened to me at Augusta, and I had to really tell myself, look, for the first 63 holes you were better than everyone else. It’s not my fault, it’s not Adam’s fault that a golf tournament is 72 holes.

“If it was 68 holes, Adam would have won the tournament. It just happens to be 72.

“You just have to really believe in yourself and believe for those 68 holes you were the best player that week. It’s tough. It’s a tough loss.

“At that moment in time, you think it’s the only chance you’re ever going to get, and your whole world came crashing down.

“But in reality, Adam is such a great player that he’s going to have plenty of chances to win more Major championships.

“I said it at the time of the Masters that you need to lose before you can win. You need to learn how to handle that.

“I’m sure he knows what he’s done wrong, and I’m sure that when he gets himself in that position again, that’ll he’ll do the right thing.”

Coincidentally, Adam Scott is this week’s WGC–Bridgestone Invitational defending champion.

McIlroy was out yesterday getting a first look at this week’s course in very hot conditions at Akron, Ohio.

The Firestone course is the longest par 70 course on the PGA Tour schedule but this year features just three Irish players in McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Michael Hoey.

Missing are Major champions Darren Clarke and Pádraig Harrington who failed to qualify for the $8.5 million (€6.9 million) event.