OWINGS MILLS, Md. – After wrapping up a disappointing T-43 finish Monday at Liberty National, Rory McIlroy flew home to Jupiter, Florida, for a night in his own bed and some time with his wife, Erica, and daughter, Poppy.
By Tuesday afternoon, McIlroy was grinding on the range at Caves Valley Golf Club in preparation for this week’s second FedExCup playoff event, the BMW Championship. He spent considerable time grooving in a new 3-wood.
So, what happened to the old one?
“I threw my 3-wood onto the New Jersey Turnpike off the ninth hole on Monday, and so I was without a 3-wood coming here,” McIlroy revealed. “I mightn’t have reached the road, but I threw it into the trees off the ninth tee at Liberty National, so if someone wants to go get a 3-wood, there’s one in there somewhere.”
McIlroy, who also plans to put a new driver with less spin in play at Caves, hasn’t exactly been his sharpest this year. He won the Wells Fargo in May, but he’s also missed four cuts, including at the Masters, and hardly factored at any of the other three majors.
As a result, McIlroy enters this week not just at No. 28 in FedExCup points but also at No. 16 in the Official World Golf Ranking, his lowest mark since November 2009, his second full year as a pro.
With the Ryder Cup coming up, McIlroy is eyeing rest more than anything. He won’t travel to England to play in next month’s BMW PGA Championship in order to be ready for Whistling Straits the following week. McIlroy has yet to miss a session in five Ryder Cup appearances.
“I think I feel like a lot of guys feel right now, a little jaded, a little tired,” McIlroy said. “So yeah, I’m just sort of getting through it, to be honest. I’m going day by day and just trying to get through it as best I can and try to make it to next week. …The game feels pretty good, okay. Energy levels are somewhat sort of trying to dig deep at this point, but yeah, try and keep going and try and put in a good finish this week to make sure I’m in Atlanta next week.”
If not, McIlroy will have more rest than he planned.
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