Rory McIlroy switches focus to being at top form for Ryder Cup

By Carl Markham, PA

Rory McIlroy is resetting his focus and his schedule in order to be on top form for Europe’s defence of the Ryder Cup.

Finishing a distant seventh to Open champion and world number one Scottie Scheffler was not how the Northern Irishman wanted to end his major season, especially on home soil at Royal Portrush.

But having shown he is over the blip he encountered after his Masters win, which completed the career Grand Slam in April, the 36-year-old is keen to save his best for Bethpage in New York this September.

He still has the FedEx Cup play-offs to come in August but his real motivation comes the following month and that is why he will not be playing much as he looks to retain his sharpness.

“I feel like being back in Europe for a bit was a nice reset,” said McIlroy.

“I feel like I’m getting back to where I want to be and we’ve still got a lot of golf left this year with obviously Ryder Cup being the big one in there in September.

“I don’t want to play too much leading up to that because I want to be fresh so I’m looking forward to a few weeks off here.

“I’ll reflect on what’s been already a good year and start to get myself ready for that run up to the Ryder Cup.”

That good year began with victory at the Pebble Beach Pro-am in February and the Players Championship in March before the big one at Augusta the following month.

He has not won since, while Scheffler has four victories – including two majors in The Open and US PGA – and has the momentum.

McIlroy thinks the sharpness he had at the start of the year has returned but insists his rival’s success is not a motivating factor, adding: “Yeah, I do feel good – but I also had the three wins when Scottie wasn’t quite on his game.

“All I can do is focus on myself and try to play the best golf that I can. I know that, when I do that, I’ll have my weeks where I’ll contend and hopefully win.

“I’ve gotten everything I wanted out of this week apart from a Claret Jug and that’s just because one person was just a little bit better than the rest of us.”