Golf
Bob Harig, ESPN Senior Writer 9y

Rory McIlroy eyes rebound at Doral

Golf

DORAL, Fla. -- Missing the cut in his first U.S. appearance of 2015 was not what Rory McIlroy had in mind when he teed off at the Honda Classic last week.

But the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world used the time off wisely, getting back to work on his game in anticipation of this week's WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral, where he will be grouped with Bubba Watson and Henrik Stenson in the first two rounds.

"I practice and played a little bit, and at least I know going into this week where my game is," McIlroy said Wednesday after a practice round at Trump Doral National's Blue Monster course. "So even if things maybe don't go my way at some point during the round, I'll know how to manage it a little bit better.

"Excited to get back at it this week and obviously try to put in a better performance."

Things must not be too bad: McIlroy shot a 9-under-par 63 on Monday at Seminole Golf Club in Florida, the famous Donald Ross-designed course that staged its annual pro-member event. He hit all 18 greens in regulation and made nine birdies. Along with Seminole member John Pinkham, McIlroy won the event as they teamed to shoot a best-ball gross score of 61.

"I would play Seminole quite a lot when I'm at home, probably once a week," McIlroy said. "So to walk into that locker room all the time and have your name up there on the board, that pro-member board, it's a pretty cool board to look at. You have all the greats of the game are basically up there."

Seminole is where Ben Hogan famously prepared for the Masters every year, and McIlroy is in that mode now as well, with just one more tournament -- the Arnold Palmer Invitational -- on his schedule after Doral prior to the big week at Augusta National. He will be attempting to win a third straight major championship while completing the career Grand Slam.

"Right now I'm just taking it week by week, and then after Bay Hill [home of the Arnold Palmer Invitational], then I'm sure I'll start to think about [the Masters] a little bit more," he said. "But right now, I'm just focused on this week and Bay Hill in a couple weeks' time and try to play well in those events."

^ Back to Top ^