McIlroy generating a new fear factor amongst his peers

In his prime, there was an intimidating presence about Tiger Woods. The same thing is happening now with Rory McIlroy.

On Sunday, after his second win in the space of three weeks, the Northern Irishman left Quail Hollow with the Wells Fargo Championship and took a private jet from Charlotte to London for the next leg of his global domination.

Right now, his X-Factor has generated a fear factor for everyone else.

“I don’t feel my game has ever been in better shape,” acknowledged McIlroy, following his record-breaking display in North Carolina where, if proof were needed, he reaffirmed his status as the world’s number one. The victory was his seventh inside the past 12 months, a run which started with last year’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, a title he defends this week.

In that time, he has played in 24 tournaments worldwide and has been either first or second no fewer than 11 times.

McIlroy appears at ease in the heat of battle, and off the course. On Sunday night, he instigated a Q&A with golf fans – using the periscope app on Twitter – to engage with his followers. At one point, he was asked if his caddie – JP Fitzgerald, seated beside him – had been well paid. “This man made $140,000 today,” responded the golfer, grinning.

Stark contrast

For sure, McIlroy – in stark contrast to a year ago when he revealed on the eve of the European Tour’s flagship tournament that he had broken up with

Caroline Wozniacki

– would seem to be in a good place, personally and professionally.

And, it would also appear, he has moved on with an extra spring to his step since his quest for the career Grand Slam at the Masters last month was stopped in its tracks.

“I’m not going to lie. There was a lot of expectation going into Augusta, a lot of hype, a lot of expectation that I put on myself. It was a great opportunity to do something that very few players in this game have done.

“I’ll go back next year with the same opportunity. But, yeah, since then I guess it was a little bit of a weight lifted off the shoulders, now it’s time to not think about it and just go on and play the rest of the season and play the way I know that I can play and that’s why I’m excited about what’s coming up with the three Majors still to play and everything else.”

Since Augusta, McIlroy has won twice – the WGC-Cadillac Matchplay and the Wells Fargo – and moved from 103rd on the FedEx Cup standings up to third, behind Jordan Spieth.

As far as the PGA European Tour is concerned, he is at the top of the Race to Dubai standings. Add in the fact that his position as the world number one in the rankings seems safe and secure for the foreseeable future, and the feel-good factor about McIlroy is obvious and bodes well going into what he calls the “thick of the season”.

In fact, McIlroy arrived in London for what will be the fourth of a five-week stint that runs up to next week’s Irish Open at Royal County Down.

Once that stretch of tournaments is completed, the 26-year-old four-time Major champion can start setting his true focus on “an exciting summer” that will take in the US Open at Chambers Bay outside Seattle and the defence of his British Open title at St Andrews and his US PGA title at Whistling Straits.

Personal letter

McIlroy – who wrote a personal letter to Memorial Tournament host

Jack Nicklaus

to explain why he wouldn’t be teeing up in Dublin, Ohio this season – intends to visit Chambers Bay on the weekend ahead of the US Open next month but doesn’t envisage playing any more than three practice rounds in total there.

“I feel like there’s a couple of areas of my game I can sharpen up on heading into the US Open, but it’s very close . . . just sharpen up (on putting),” he admitted.

For now, it is all about defending his title at Wentworth and moving on to playing host at the Irish Open with plenty of sleep factored into the equation.

“It hasn’t caught up with me yet,” said McIlroy of the demanding schedule he mapped out. “Hopefully it doesn’t catch up with me in the next two weeks. I’m going to try to get a lot of sleep in before teeing it up on Thursday and hopefully I’m ready to go.”