Rory McIlroy insists he’s not about to hit any any ‘panic button’ just because he hasn’t tasted success this season.
McIlroy arrived in Shanghai and this week’s BMW Masters buoyed by his share of second place in last week’s Kolon Korean Open and in what was his equal best finish this year on top of second in the PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.
Last season McIlroy won five times around the globe including adding a second Major Championship with his tearaway PGA Championship success along the shores of Kiawah Island.
Henrik Stenson, Peter Hanson, Rory McIlroy and China’s Ashun Wu with their Chinese fortune cookies message. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
He ended 2012 as No. 1 on the PGA Tour money list and then returned to the European Tour to birdie his closing five holes to capture last year’s European Tour season-ending DP World Tour Championship and also become No. 1 in Europe and also No. 1 on the World Rankings.
Since then the 24-year old has tumbled to World No. 6 amid mounting off course interest in his private life and business dealings.
But as he participated in a pre-BMW Masters ceremony on the famed Bund in Shanghai McIlroy shrugged off any concern in winning for a first time this season.
“There is no sense of urgency just because I haven’t won this year,” said McIlroy at a special BMW Masters launch at the Bund in Shanghai’s financial district.
“I’m not putting any pressure on myself and besides I have five events starting this week here in Shanghai before I end my season.
“Of course, it will be nice to get a win in there and at least finish 2013 with a win but there’s no panic and there’s no sense of urgency, and if I don’t end the season without a win I will look at it as a bit of a disappointment, anyway.
“So while it would be nice to win at least one of the five events I have left this year it will not be the end of the world, and I will just have to prepare myself as best I can for 2014.”
That preparation includes teeing up in next week’s HSBC Champions event, defending his title in Dubai, the Australian Open in Sydney and teeing-up in the Tiger Woods hosted World Challenge in suburban Los Angeles.
As well, McIlroy is packing yet another new Nike crimson driver this week and also using the company’s latest golf ball for this week’s $8m event in Shanghai.
“The Nike ball is the same that Scott Jamieson used to shoot a 60 last fortnight in Portugal and it’s going to be released on the market early next year,” McIlroy added.
“So I’m excited about these next five tournaments and I’m looking forward to finish the year strongly.”
And if there was any doubt McIlroy’s star had lost any of its shine then that was dispelled when he was the focus of attention at a spectacular evening laser show around the 18th green of this week’s Lake Malaren course.
Those present were also treated to a video highlights package of McIlroy’s efforts last year around the globe in capturing a second Major, winning four other tournaments as well as finishing runner-up to defending BMW Masters champ, Peter Hanson of Sweden.
