World No. 1 Rory McIlroy joked he would be prepared to wait to next week if needed to lift the PGA Championship trophy.

Heavy rain mid-morning has seen McIlroy’s final round tee time pushed back from 2.55pm local time and will now not tee up to 4.19pm local time on the Valhalla course.

The Kentucky course was deluged under an inch of rain forcing an hour and 45 minutes delay to the final round of the season-ending 96th PGA Championship.

“I would be happy to wait here all week if it means lifting the Wanamaker Trophy,” said McIlroy as he headed off to the practice range.

The only four ball out during the 105 minute rain delay to play.

“So it doesn’t bother me in the slightest and it would be nice to get out there and play some golf, today.

“You can’t control the weather and you can’t control the conditions, and you just have to take what comes.”

And when reminded incorrectly by a fellow Northern Ireland born player who has since taken-up US citizenship to become a so-called TV golf analyst he would be the third youngest player ever behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to win four Majors, when in fact ‘Young’ Tom Morris was 21 when he captured a fourth Open Championship, McIlroy said:  “I am not thinking about that as I am just trying to win three tournaments in a row.

“I just love the position I am in the golf tournament and I just love what position I’m at with my golf game, and where I’m at mentally so it’s just another game of golf.”