Rory McIlroy’s pursuit of back-to-back majors and keeping alive hopes of the yearly grand slam have been dealt an early blow. McIlroy captured the imagination of the sporting world when he won his first-ever green jacket last month, defeating Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose in a dramatic play-off at Augusta.
It ended a long, and at times painful, wait for McIlroy, who had been searching for the career grand slam ever since winning the 2014 Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. His celebrations after sinking the final putt in the playoff told its own story, with McIlroy, overcome with emotion, dropping to his knees in relief.
He’s managed his outings since the Augusta win, with this week’s appearance in the Truist Championship at the Philadelphia Cricket Club – Wissahickon Golf Course his first solo tournament since taking he green jacket. And it could prove a worthwhile outing around the Pennsylvania course, given the PGA Championship is on the horizon.
Especially if Mother Nature gets her way, with the early forecast ahead of the tournament looking a tad ropey. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday’s warm-up days are all forecast to have thunderstorms at some point throughout the day, meaning the players may be left short on practice ahead of Thursday’s tee.
It means the Saturday and Sunday rounds at Quail Hollow could prove the last meaningful knocks McIlroy and his competitors squeeze in before the second major of the year. Although, ahead of the PGA Championship, the Irishman offered a solution about how he believes competitions could be more exciting.
Speaking on Friday, McIlroy mused: “I think there’s a lot of debate about it, but if the golf ball just went a little shorter, this course would be awesome. Not that it isn’t awesome anyway, but right now for the distances we hit it, it’s probably 500 or 600 yards too short.
“Yeah, it would be amazing to be able to play courses like this the way the architect wanted you to play them. So, yeah, like it does, it gives you a better appreciation when you play them in these conditions for sure.”
Two years ago, the sport’s bigwigs made the decision from 2028 onwards to make the golf balls shorter, meaning it should theoretically make it harder for players. In the meantime, though, it’s the regular golf balls for McIlroy and co.