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PGA Tour: it’s time for Rory McIlroy to step up his game

By Tim Letcher

DUBLIN, OHIO - JULY 18: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland lines up a putt on the second green during the third round of The Memorial Tournament on July 18, 2020 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
DUBLIN, OHIO - JULY 18: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland lines up a putt on the second green during the third round of The Memorial Tournament on July 18, 2020 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /
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Rory McIlroy has lost the world’s top ranking since the PGA Tour restarted. Now, it’s time for him to step up his game to take back that number one spot

Rory McIlroy is considered one of, if not the best, golfer in the world, something he has earned through outstanding play over a long period of time. However, since the PGA Tour returned to action in June, McIlroy has been less than spectacular. He has a chance to change that this week at the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

McIlroy will face a field that includes nearly all of the world’s top-ranked players this week at TPC Southwind in Memphis. The field includes defending champion Brooks Koepka, along with Dustin Johnson, 2018 champion Justin Thomas and world number one Jon Rahm.

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McIlroy has won three WGC events in his career but not at this site. That’s something he will be trying to change this week  and, frankly, it’s something McIlroy needs to do.

Rahm took over the OWGR number one ranking with his win at the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago. He is widely considered to be the hottest player on tour, especially since the tour restarted. McIlroy, on the other hand, has not had the best of things since the tour’s resumption of play in June.

McIlroy has made four starts since the tour resumed play. He has made the cut in all four events, but has not seriously contended in any of them.

At the Charles Scwab Challenge in June, McIlroy was in the mix early before a final-round 74 took him out of contention and he finished in a tie for 32nd. The following week at the RBC Heritage, McIlroy struggled to a first-round 72 and never bounced back, finishing in a tie for 41st place.

Just one week later, McIlroy had his best finish since the restart. An opening 63 put him in contention early in the week at the Travelers Championship. However, he was unable to take advantage of prime scoring conditions on Saturday and slipped to a tie for 11th when the event was over.

At the Memorial two weeks ago, McIlroy shot four rounds in the 70s, including a final-round 78. He would finish in a tie for 32nd place.

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That’s in sharp contrast to McIlroy’s play from earlier in the year. He was, without a doubt, the hottest player on tour from October until March. He started six events during that span and finished inside the top five in all six of them. That included a win at the WGC-HSBC Champions in November. He also had T3 finishes at the Zozo Championship and at the Farmers Insurance Open.

It’s time for McIlroy to step up and prove that he’s the player to beat in any event that he enters. The way he has played over the past two months does not show that. However, it would be easy to see McIlroy return to that form. And it would be good for him if that started this week in Memphis.

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