McIlroy feels right at home

Golf:Rory McIlroy is not sure he can repeat his runaway US Open victory at the final major of the year this week. But he does believe there is far more chance than at the British Open last month. For one thing, his life is not quite the "whirlwind" it was on his return home from Washington.

For another, the set-up of Atlanta Athletic Club for the USPGA Championship would appear to suit him down to the ground.

Thirdly, he did enough in his sixth-placed finish in last week’s world championship in Akron to show he was back in the mood to become the youngest player to win two majors since Gene Sarazen nearly 90 years ago.

And fourthly, of course, his stable is on a roll. After Charl Schwartzel at The Masters, then McIlroy and then Darren Clarke at Sandwich manager Andrew Chandler is on the verge of what because of his nickname has been dubbed the “Chubby Slam”.

“I’m playing very well,” the 22-year-old told reporters today. “I drove the ball great last week, I’m hitting it nicely, I felt as if I got a really good practice round in yesterday, got all the greens mapped out. As long as I can hole a few putts this week, I feel as if I’m in with a good chance.”

McIlroy, whose need to up security around himself has played a part in his decision to rejoin the PGA Tour next season, felt last week in Akron that he was finally able to get back to work properly.

“It was a little bit of a whirlwind after what happened at Congressional, but it’s nice to feel like you’re back out there focusing on trying to win golf tournaments,” he said. “When you dream of winning big tournaments as a kid and you dream of becoming a great golfer, all you think about is the golf.

“You think about how great it is to hopefully be one of the best players in the world and you never really think of the other side of it — the attention, the spotlight. It’s just something that I’m still getting used to, but it’s a nice position to be in. I’m not complaining.”

Third on his only two previous appearances in the USPGA, he added: “I love how the PGA of America set the golf course up at this event. I think it really suits my game. It puts a premium on ball-striking and I’m looking forward to getting going. I’ve always thought as if this and The Masters would probably be the two that suited me most.

“I feel very comfortable in this country and playing on the types of golf courses over here. I also get a great response from the crowds — I feel the reception I get is like an American player.”

Tee Times

1st hole Thursday, 10th tee Friday(all times Irish)

1230and 1740Craig Stevens, Brendon de Jonge (Zim), John Rollins

1240and 1750Daniel Balin, Andrés Romero (Arg), Tommy Gainey

1250and 1800Faber Jamerson, Charlie Wi (Kor), Kevin Streelman

1300and 1810Edoardo Molinari (It), Jason Dufner, Liang Wen-chong (Chi)

1310and 1820Brendan Jones (Aus), Martin Laird (Sco), Brendan Steele

1320and 1830Spencer Levin, David Hutsell, Peter Hanson (Swe)

1330and 1840Brian Davis (Eng), Keegan Bradley, Bill Lunde

1340and 1850John Senden (Aus), Bo Van Pelt, Scott Stallings

1350and 1900John Daly, Mark Brooks, Jerry Pate

1400and 1910Aaron Baddeley (Aus), Rocco Mediate, Arjun Atwal (Ind)

1410and 1920Robert Garrigus, Jeff Sorenson, Jamie Donaldson (Wal)

1420and 1930Webb Simpson, Sean Dougherty, Gregory Bourdy (Fr)

1430and 1940Alexander Noren (Swe), Rob Moss, JJ Henry

1745and 1235David Horsey (Eng), Scott Erdmann, Yuta Ikeda (Jpn)

1755and 1245Marty Jertson, Richard Green (Aus), Hiroyuki Fujita (Jpn)

1805and 1255Anthony Kim, Ernie Els (SA), Jhonattan Vegas (Ven)

1815and 1305Martin Kaymer (Ger), YE Yang (Kor), Shaun Micheel

1825and 1315Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Sergio García (Sp)

1835and 1325Louis Oosthuizen (SA), Hunter Mahan, Justin Rose (Eng)

1845and 1335Charl Schwartzel (SA), Rory McIlroy (N Irl), Darren Clarke (N Irl)

1855and 1345Matt Kuchar, Lee Westwood (Eng), Jason Day (Aus)

1905and 1355 Graeme McDowell(N Irl), Zach Johnson, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus)

1915and 1405Lucas Glover, Camilo Villegas (Col), Francesco Molinari (It)

1925and 1415Ricky Barnes, Jonathan Byrd, Heath Slocum

1935and 1425Cameron Tringale, Steve Schneiter, Sean O'Hair

1945and 1435Jeff Coston, WGC-Bridgestone Winner, Noh Seung-yul (Kor)

10th tee Thursday, 1st tee Friday

1235and 1745Ryan Moore, Bob Sowards, Tetsuji Hiratsuka (Jpn)

1245and 1755Stephen Gallacher (Sco), Mike Northern, Gary Woodland

1355and 1805Matteo Manassero (It), Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn), Adam Scott (Aus)

1405and 1815Stewart Cink, Angel Cabrera (Arg), Ross Fisher (Eng)

1415and 1825David Toms, Vijay Singh (Fij), Phil Mickelson

1425and 1835Alvaro Quiros (Sp), Luke Donald (Eng), Nick Watney

1435and 1845Davis Love, Tiger Woods, Padraig Harrington(Irl)

1445and 1855Bubba Watson, Ian Poulter (Eng), Jeff Overton

1455and 1905Thomas Bjorn (Den), Jim Furyk, KJ Choi (Kor)

1505and 1915Steve Stricker, Paul Casey (Eng), Miguel Angel Jiménez (Sp)

1515and 1925Bill Haas, JB Holmes, Charles Howell

1525and 1935Scott Verplank, Stuart Smith, Jerry Kelly

1535and 1945Brandt Jobe, Dan Olsen, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe)

1740and 1230Steve Marino, Brad Lardon, Pablo Larrazábal (Sp)

1750and 1240Johan Edfors (Swe), Mike Small, Chris Kirk

1800and 1250Anders Hansen (Den), Rory Sabbatini (SA), Johnson Wagner

1810and 1300Brian Gay, Charley Hoffman, Ryuji Imada (Jpn)

1820and 1310Brandt Snedeker, José María Olazábal (Sp), Robert Karlsson (Swe)

1830and 1320Larry Nelson, Steve Elkington (Aus), Rich Beem

1840and 1330Robert Allenby (Aus), Harrison Frazar, Ryan Palmer

1850and 1340Tom Gillis, Mark Wilson, Retief Goosen (SA)

1900and 1350Bryce Molder, Trevor Immelman (SA), Simon Dyson (Eng)

1910and 1400Thomas Aiken (SA), Fredrik Jacobson (Swe), DA Points

1920and 1410Michael Bradley, Robert McClellan, Raphael Jacquelin (Fr)

1930and 1420Ben Crane, Brian Cairns, Kyung-tae Kim (Kor)

1940and 1430Kevin Na, Todd Camplin, Reno-Tahoe Winner