Rory McIlroy Remaining Focused on Game Improvement Program

ORLANDO, FLORIDA – MARCH 06: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland speaks to the media after the pro-am for the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard at the Bay Hill Club on March 06, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) /

Rory McIlroy addressed the media Wednesday in the lead up to the Arnold Palmer Invitational, discussing improvement, Arnold Palmer, and a streak-breaking win.

"Talking to the media on Wednesday, Rory McIlroy had thoughts about being here two years ago. “I came here two years ago off the back of a missed cut in Tampa and sort of a little lost with my game”"

His world ranking had dropped below 10. His last PGA Tour victory had been the 2016 Tour Championship, which was not insignificant because he also won the FedEx Cup that year for the first time. Then a malaise settled in on his game. Not a disaster by any means, but not what he expected from himself, and not what his fans had grown to expect.

As with most truly good players, he wanted to figure out a solution. He felt it centered on his putting. Between the Valspar, where he missed the cut, and the 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational, he went to the Bear’s Club to practice and, while there, Rory McIlroy sought help from a former PGA Tour player who was always considered a very good putter, Brad Faxon.

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"“Something stuck with me from that afternoon,” McIlroy recalled about the week he went on to win at Bay Hill.“That was my first win in 500-whatever days. So, I feel like this place is a lot of special memories to me. It was definitely the catalyst to sort of do what I’ve done over the past two years and ascend back to the top of the World Rankings.”"

Last year, as defending champ at the Arnold Palmer, McIlroy talked about a different approach to the game. He had been playing better he said, but had not won since the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2018. Yet he was committed to setting mini-goals and improving each week on different aspects of his game. He said he wasn’t upset that he had not won more recently.

"“That’s when you have to really preach patience because you know the golf is in there, it’s just letting that golf come out when it matters most,” he explained at the time. “That’s when I need to almost take your foot off the gas and just let it happen. And that’s obviously easier said than done.”"

He said he was on a path to becoming a better golfer and that if someone told him it would take 18 to 24 months of not winning to get his game back where he wanted it, where he could have multiple victory seasons, it would be worth it.

He did not win the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year. But the next week, at The Players, he was victorious. He won again at the RBC Canadian Open, and his final victory of 2019 came at the Tour Championship, which also gave him his second FedExCup title.

"“I have done things in the game previous to two years ago that were maybe higher than what I’ve done the past couple of years,” he explained. “But from a mental perspective, the consistency and showing up every week, even when I don’t have my best stuff, I’m able to still get in the mix and have a shot at winning tournaments.”"

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At the end of last season, McIlroy was voted PGA Tour Player of the Year. He regained his No.1 ranking a few weeks ago after the Genesis Open.