Rory McIlroy sends ominous warning to rivals ahead of US PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy won last month’s Masters (Picture: Getty)

Rory McIlroy believes last month’s major triumph at the Masters has freed him up as he returns to a happy hunting ground for this week’s US PGA Championship.

McIlroy ended a decade-long drought in majors at Augusta National last month with a thrilling playoff victory over Justin Rose to become only the sixth golfer in history to complete the career Grand Slam.

The major championships come thick and fast during golf’s busy season, and attention now turns to the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, which gets underway on Thursday.

McIlroy has kept a low profile since his Masters win, but brushed off the cobwebs with a T7 finish at last week’s Truist Championship in Philadelphia.

And while not back to his sharpest, the 36-year-old believes his game in trending in the right direction ahead of his latest tilt at major glory.

‘I think I’m in a good place,’ McIlroy told reporters after his final round. ‘I didn’t feel like I played all that well this week, I still finished seventh.

‘Even with what I feel is my bad golf, I’m still there or thereabouts. A couple little improvements and little tweaks, especially going to a place I love like Quail Hollow, and I feel like I’m in a really good spot.’

McIlroy is confident that is game is trending in the right direction (Picture: Getty)

McIlroy has reason to be encouraged by the location of this week’s major. He has won four times at Quail Hollow, including last year at the Wells Fargo Championship, and holds the course record.

And after so many near-misses in recent years, the World No.2 believes that finally getting over the line at the Masters will only free him up for more success.

McIlroy is confident that last month’s Masters win will free him up (Picture: Getty)

‘The weight of expectation does feel lighter,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘I’m going there after winning my first major in a decade so I’m going there with everything being there a touch more relaxed.

‘I feel like I wasn’t defending this week, but I’m going back to Quail Hollow sort of defending after last year, but I’m excited to get there.

‘I feel like my game is in good shape and I’m looking forward to having another shot at another major.’

Another positive week for Europe as Ryder Cup beckons

Sepp Straka came out on top at the Truist Championship (Picture: Getty)

While McIlroy faltered in the final round, it was Sepp Straka who claimed his second win of the season to move inside the world’s top ten.

The Austrian was engaged in a final-round tussle with Shane Lowry but came out on top after a costly three-putt from the Irishman on the 72nd hole.

Still, it proved another positive week from Luke Donald’s perspective, with Straka and Lowry just two of the many European players showing form ahead of the Ryder Cup in September.

Straka made his Ryder Cup debut last time out in Rome and has virtually rubber-stamped his spot on the team with another fine showing this season.

‘This year has been pretty good to me. Just really grateful for all the hard work from the people that don’t get to stand on that 18th green and celebrate,’ he said.

‘The whole team, my wife, just the stuff that she does every day for me to be able to do this. My parents that sacrificed pretty much every trip — they didn’t take trips without golf trips.

‘It was really special to get this win. Just really grateful for the people in my life that allowed me to play golf this way.’

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