Published on May 23, 2018

McIlroy Motivated by Wentworth Memories

VIRGINIA WATER, ENGLAND – MAY 23: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland enjoys a light-hearted moment during the pro-am for the 2018 BMW PGA Championship on the West Course at Wentworth on May 23, 2018, in Virginia Water, England. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy is hoping to draw on the memories of his famous win at Wentworth Club four years ago as he aims to secure his second BMW PGA Championship title, and his first on the Rolex Series, on his return to the event for the first time since 2015.

The Northern Irishman’s 2014 victory kick-started arguably his most successful season as he added the most recent of his Major titles – the 143rd Open Championship and the US PGA Championship – as well as the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, to an already spectacular CV.

With a victory on the US PGA Tour already under his belt this year, McIlroy is hoping that replicating the glory of that Sunday at Wentworth, during which he overhauled a seven-shot final round deficit, will lead to more success over a busy summer period.

McIlroy said,“Four years ago seems like a long time ago. A lot has happened since then, but I still remember the final round and the stuff that I did, and hopefully, I can draw on those memories this week.

“It did snowball from there and I got on to a nice little bit of a hot streak, and I’d love to be able to do something like that again. I’ve got a busy summer coming up. There’s a lot of big tournaments to play in. Still got three Major Championships and Ryder Cup, and everything else. So yeah, maybe this could be the spark that gets that all going again.

“The positives this year have definitely been the win at Bay Hill. I think playing my way into the final group at Augusta was fantastic, as well, so they were real steps forward compared to, say, the last 18 months.”

Another returning former winner, Englishman Paul Casey, is confident of shrugging off a niggling back injury to add to his 2009 BMW PGA Championship victory, on the course where he dreamt of emulating his golfing heroes as a child.

Like both Casey and McIlroy, Ryder Cup legend Ian Poulter has also returned to winning ways on the other side of the Atlantic this year. As the qualification process for the 2016 edition of the biennial contest moves up a gear this week, with Ryder Cup points earned at European Tour events from now until Made in Denmark multiplied by 1.5 on both the World Points List and the European Points List, the Englishman is aiming for a successful week at Wentworth.

 

 

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