2021 Farmers Insurance Open: Top 10 power rankings at Torrey Pines

After eschewing the PGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions earlier in the month, Rory McIlroy got his 2021 underway at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on the European Tour.

The tale played out similarly to much of his 2020: Close, but no cigar.

The 31-year-old Northern Irishman stormed out to 64-72-67 at an event he’d always played well at but never won. A closing 72 allowed champion Tyrrell Hatton to post 66 and cruise to victory.

“I thought for the most part of the week, my short game and my putting was good,” McIlroy was transcribed by ASAP Sports. “I scrambled well. Had some pretty good approach shots, especially last night coming down the last few holes. I thought there was parts of rounds where I got the driver going, even the last few holes this evening there I got the driver going a little bit.

“But still, sometimes I’ll have a few holes where it’s like that and there’s a few holes where it sort of gets away from me. So a little more consistency and being able to replicate the good ones hole after hole and then day after day until you sort of put four rounds together.”

Torrey Pines always seemed like a good course fit for McIlroy, but we didn’t get to see him at the North and South courses until 2019.

He debuted in style with a T-5th finish (71-65-69-69) and improved to T-3rd (67-73-67-69) a year ago.

Just about everyone in the field has at least one tournament under their belt now, so the rust should be coming off and cream can rise to the top.

It’s about time for McIlroy to assert himself and win a tournament, particularly a well-known event like this. This is as good a chance as any to do it.

One of the world’s best drivers and stronger iron players can muscle his way around Torrey Pines.