New World No. 1 Rory McIlroy will dine out at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky Tuesday night ahead of hopefully feasting on capturing a personal ‘Triple Crown’.
McIlroy will attend a former PGA champion’s dinner at the home of the Kentucky Derby before teeing up at Valhalla on Thursday and striving to join Tiger Woods as the only player in a single season ever to capture The Open, Bridgestone Invitational and PGA Championship treble.
And after coming from three shots down to defeat Spaniard Sergio Garcia by two in Akron, Ohio McIlroy’s a red-hot favourite to also land a fourth Major Championship title.
McIlroy had spent Saturday night watching highlights of Manchester United defeat Real Madrid along with enjoying the comedy action-hero movie Kick Arse 2 the 25-year old joined Garcia for lunch Sunday in the Firestone clubhouse.
Rory McIlroy joining former PGA Champions in dining out at Churchill Downs on Tuesday night.
He then went out to deny the new-engaged Garcia for a second tournament in succession after Garcia has finished joint second to McIlroy at Royal Liverpool.
It’s also the fourth time in Garcia’s career, and since landing his first Tour title at the 1999 Irish Open, he’s been denied by an Irish-born player in a big event with Padraig Harrington beating Garcia in a play-off for the 2007 Open and then finishing in front of the now World No. 3 ranked Garcia a year later in the PGA Championship.
Again, the key to McIlroy’s third victory this year and the 14th of his pro career was his driving and with the now 14-time pro career winning golfer light years ahead of the despair he endured last season.
And after being so often left red-faced a year ago by his new Nike crimson-coloured driver, McIlroy’s now glowing in the distance he’s driving it past his rivals.
.. and Rory McIlroy will be hoping to walk up the 18th hole at Valhalla on Sunday night clinching the ‘Triple Crown’.
“It just doesn’t take much from shooting a 65 the first day to be off and shooting 75 the second day that I know very well this year,” he said.
“If you let that affect you mentally that will make it more difficult but then if you stay strong mentally through the struggles then you come out strong the other side.
“Last summer I was losing confidence in my swing and started spiralling out of control. It all came to a head at Muirfield but I stayed strong mentally and I’ve managed to regroup and get back on track.”
