FLOURTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Rory McIlroy may need been scouting his Masters Membership dinner menu when he informed autograph seekers he was headed for a chew at Angelo’s Pizzeria, the present Philly scorching spot for cheesesteaks.
One fan disagreed, suggesting McIlroy ought to as a substitute hit close by Verona’s Pizza for a late lunch.
Everybody, particularly on the rain-slogged Truist Invitational, had an opinion for McIlroy weeks after he fulfilled his lifelong dream of winning the Masters and received the profession Grand Slam.
Possibly the perfect recommendation got here from shut buddy and frequent taking part in accomplice, Shane Lowry.
“I hold saying to him, it doesn’t matter what he does now, it doesn’t matter,” Lowry mentioned.
The issue with that line of pondering, McIlroy isn’t actually constructed that means, to let previous achievements — even one as latest, as thrilling, as successful the Masters — stand in the best way of attempting to win the following one.
McIlroy used six birdies to shoot a 3-under-67 on the Philadelphia Cricket Membership on Friday and stayed inside putting distance of the highest of the leaderboard headed into weekend play. McIlroy performed his first particular person event since he took his place in golf historical past because the sixth participant with the profession Grand Slam.
Lowry, the 2019 British Open winner, even conceded McIlroy wouldn’t precisely coast on the Truist, a signature event, but one most gamers are utilizing as a tune-up for subsequent weekend’s PGA Championship at Quail Hole Membership in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“I discovered it onerous in 2019 after I received The Open to sort of come again out and, you virtually need it an excessive amount of typically to virtually overlook about that and transfer on,” Lowry mentioned. “I believe there’s part of you that ought to take pleasure in what you’ve simply carried out.”
McIlroy was reminded by Philly followers all through the primary two rounds of all of the spoils that include his slice of golf historical past. Those who braved the rain — and $27 cheesesteaks and $22 fairway margaritas — tailed him everywhere in the Wissahickon Course yelling “Masters champ!” or “The champ is right here!” forward of every tee shot. There have been, as all the time, the ever-present “Rory!” chants that McIlroy has gamely tried to disregard.
However it’s more durable to maintain these Masters ideas from lingering when there are roaring reminders of his success on each gap.
“All of us have our personal challenges, and if my problem is to attempt to concentrate on the current and never take into consideration a dream come true a number of weeks in the past, then that’s a reasonably good problem to have,” McIlroy mentioned.
By title, McIlroy received Truist in 2010, 2015, 2021 and 2024. By venue, Wissahickon was a brand new one for him, the tiny suburban course serving as a one-year stopgap with Quail Hole preparing for the PGA.
Wissahickon got here with some frustration, notably on No. 17 when his drive missed the green and landed on a steep slope. He barely obtained his subsequent shot off the hill and swiped the tough in frustration along with his membership. The outlet was one in every of his three bogeys.
“If the golf ball simply went a bit of shorter, this course could be superior,” McIlroy mentioned. “Not that it isn’t superior anyway, however proper now for the distances we hit it, it’s in all probability 500 or 600 yards too brief.”
He had higher luck on No. 14, sinking a 28-foot birdie putt on the par-3 gap.
The 36-year-old McIlroy has been on a tear of late, going again to final November, when he received the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. He won at Pebble Beach in February and The Players Championship in March.
All of these feats have been swallowed by the enormity of Augusta.
He laughed when requested essentially the most shocking factor to occur since successful the Masters, saying, “I believe that everybody forgot I received the Gamers.”
“Look, clearly (the Masters) is on the forefront of everybody’s thoughts due to what it meant and the way I did it and all that stuff, however I believe for me it’s nice that I used to be capable of do it however, not that I’m leaving it within the rearview mirror, however I’ve obtained a variety of golf nonetheless left to play this 12 months. I need to actually attempt to concentrate on that,” he mentioned.
Already with three wins this 12 months, his Masters victory already has sparked dialog of a calendar Grand Slam. McIlroy has 4 victories in Could at Quail Hole.
“It’s been a really constant interval for certain,” McIlroy mentioned. “Even after I really feel like I haven’t performed my greatest, I discover a means. I believe that’s after I discuss being a extra full golfer, if one a part of my sport isn’t on, then I can possibly lean into one other half. Like right this moment, holing fairly a number of putts and making my rating that means quite than hitting the ball unbelievably properly. I believe that’s been an enormous key to this constant run just isn’t having to rely an excessive amount of on anybody facet of the sport.”
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