<p>Rory McIlroy</p>
Rory McIlroy was more concerned about straightening out a left miss than nursing a blister on his little toe after closing with 67 in the Truist Championship in Charlotte.
The Masters champion finished in the pack on five under par, and after struggling to a third-round 75, he was pleased to see an improvement at Quail Hollow last night, where Kristoffer Reitan shot 69 to win by two shots from Rickie Fowler and Nicolas Hojgaard on 15-under.
“Yeah, much better,” said the Holywood star, who planned to head home to Florida to practice before going to Aronimink on Tuesday for the US PGA after finishing tied 19th on five-under.
“I started to hit it left yesterday with everything. I spent a good bit of time on the range last night just trying to straighten it out.
“The range this week, the wind has predominantly been off the left, so I think when you hit a lot of balls in a left-to-right wind, you start to aim a little bit left, your club face can get a little bit closed at impact just to try to counteract that wind.
“So I was trying to figure it out a little bit on the range last night, which I felt like I did, and I hit the ball much better today.”
McIlroy saw Aronimink last week for some practice and while he was limping at Quail Hollow yesterday due to a blister, he doesn't see the injury as a problem.
“I've got a blister on my pinky toe on my right foot,” he revealed. “But it's underneath my nail. So I can't really get to it, or so it's a little sore, but I'll be all right. Started to feel it like Friday afternoon.”
It certainly wasn't to blame for his play on Saturday.
“I wish that was an excuse, but absolutely not,” he joked.
Believing he's straightened out his ball flight, he added: “I'm going to go home tonight, which will be nice, spend a night in my own bed and practice at home tomorrow.
“Try to continue that feel and bring that up to Philadelphia for the rest of the week.
“I think just trying to find a right-to-left wind at the Bear's Club and hit a few balls, and that usually straightens it out for me.”
While he played multiple practice rounds af Augusta National before the Masters, he felt one visit to Aronimink was enough.
“No, I lived there for a week,” he teased. “Just played it every day. No, I went up and back in the same day.
“We played the BMW there in 2018, but the course played a lot differently.
“It was wet in 2018 and the greens didn't play as fast or as severe as what I felt like they played last week when I played.
“So it's not a long golf course, but the big defence is the greens, and they can tuck the pins away if they want to.
“But it was nice to get an early look at it. It just means that the week of the tournament, you're not under pressure to play a lot of holes.
“Historically, the practice rounds at the PGA can be excruciatingly long, so it's probably going to just be nine holes Tuesday, nine holes Wednesday.”
Brandt Snedeker will also be heading for Aronimink after winning the OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic by a stroke from Mark Hubbard at Dunes Golf and Beach Club, where Seamus Power tied for 60th on three under after closing with a two-under 69.
The 2026 Presidents Cup Captain (45) earned his 10th PGA Tour win and his first start at the PGA since 2020.
“I knew I was playing well,” Snedeker said as he broke into tears following a final round 66 at Dunes Golf and Beach Club. “I just hadn’t been able to put it all together. Hopefully, it shows my family, my kids, something. Just, you know, ten wins out here is an accomplishment. Something I’m very proud of.”
In Barcelona, Yurav Premlall stormed to a maiden DP World Tour title with a remarkable 14-shot victory at the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship.
The South African threatened Tiger Woods' record-breaking 15-shot winning margin at the 2000 US Open but finished one shot shy after a closing 63.
In Italy, Chris Wood birdied the 72nd hole to seal his maiden HotelPlanner Tour victory at the Italian Challenge Open at Golf Nazionale.
A closing 66 gave him a one-shot win over Portugal’s Tomás Gouveia on 22 under.
Ronan Mullarney finished on 11-under and James Sugrue eight under after both closed with 70s.
In New Jersey, Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul successfully defended the Mizuho Americas Open.
On the PGA Tour Champions, Boo Weekley won the Insperity Invitational by three shots from Ernie Els at the Woodlands in Texas.
Darren Clarke was tied third, four behind after a 68, while PGA-bound Pádraig Harrington shot 76 to slip to 27th on four-under.
Article Link: McIlroy straightens out swing and dismisses foot blister as US PGA looms - News - Irish Golf Desk