Double Wells Fargo winning Rory McIlroy returns to Quail Hollow is clearly in a far better place when last on the course in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina.
Aside from helping re-open the revamped Adare Manor course, McIlroy is returning to competition this week since his fifth placed finish last month at the Masters.
He is also making his eighth appearance in the Wells Fargo and among just three of 14 PGA Tour counting victories McIlroy has won twice.
It was eight years ago McIlroy brilliantly burst on the Tour’s victory stage posting a then final day course record 62 to become the first player since Woods to win a Tour title before his 21st birthday.
McIlroy had missed the 2011 cut in the defence of his title since then he’s never been outside the top-10 with results of T2nd in 2012, T10th (2013), T8th (2014), 1st in 2015 and thanks to a third day 61 and then T4th a year ago.
“It’s always nice coming back to a golf course and an event where you have played really well before, and you have good memories and luckily this week is one of those weeks for me”, he said.
“I’ve always enjoyed the golf course and this despite the variations from 2010 up to this week as it’s one of those golf courses that sits-up well for me, and suits my eye so that I can play my game around here.
“The course has served me pretty well over the years and hopefully this week is another week for me, and at the start of a pretty good stretch for me.
“So, I am looking at my golf in a very positive fashion”.
Last August, McIlroy looked a golfer simply going ‘through the motions’ and finishing the year’s final Major, the PGA Championship, in a distant share of 22nd place, and looking just for his year to end.
But after a second Augusta National anguish the soon-to-be 29-year old admitted, and this after reading two consciousness books since the Masters namely the ‘The Chimp Paradox’ and ‘Essentialism’, he’s is excited to be back in the deep end.
“I’ve practiced hard the last 10 days and while there is probably a little rust in my game, and there was in the pro-am, the game is feeling good that hopefully I can play my way into the tournament and then into contention the weekend”, he said.
“The good thing also the golf course this week is playing two to three shots easier than the PGA, so it’s a little easier and sets-up good for me”
“But the thing is here you just can’t fake it around here as you just have to stand-up and just hit good shots”.
