NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Golf

Golf: McIlroy feels momentum building ahead of US Open

NZ Herald
4 Jun, 2013 05:30 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Rory McIlroy hopes to become just the sixth player to win back-to-back PGA Championships. Photo / AP

Rory McIlroy hopes to become just the sixth player to win back-to-back PGA Championships. Photo / AP

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Rory McIlroy caught his first glimpse of the Oak Hill Country Club course where he'll defend his PGA Championship title in August and he liked what he saw.

"When I think of the PGA Championship, I think of courses like this. This course is timeless," McIlroy said yesterday after shooting 67 on a practice round. "It's not only long, but it's hard to drive the ball well. You've got some chances out there.

"Then again, you've got a tough finish."

The 24-year-old Northern Irishman, also the 2011 US Open champion, has had a fairly rough year so far. He missed the cut in Abu Dhabi, lost in the opening round of the Match Play Championship and walked out of the second round at the Honda Classic in a display of utter frustration.

His game has since begun to slowly turn around, and, although he has yet to win this year and has been replaced at No1 in the world rankings by Tiger Woods, McIlroy has four top 10 finishes in nine starts as the US Open looms in two weeks.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Like Woods, McIlroy was never a factor in the Memorial, but he felt as if he had ironed out some problems after closing with a 72, two shots ahead of Woods at 294. Matt Kuchar won with a 12-under 276.

"I feel good going into the second major of the year. It feels very close," said McIlroy, who tied for 25th at the Masters with a 2-over 290. "I feel like it's one of these years where I can get on a run. I've had a couple of chances to win this year and I haven't taken them."

Repeating as champion and taking home the Wanamaker Trophy is always a stiff challenge at the PGA Championship. Only five players have accomplished the feat.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Tiger Woods did it twice (1999- 2000 and 2006-07), joining Denny Shute (1936-37), Leo Diegel (1928-29), Gene Sarazen (1922-23), and Walter Hagen (1924-27).

"I don't know why people have struggled to defend," McIlroy said.

"I guess it must be the strength of the field. Come August, it's going to be a factor, too."

Even though 99 of the top 100 players in the world rankings competed last year at Kiawah Island, McIlroy staged a personal clinic. He validated his record eight-shot victory in the US Open at Congressional by blowing away the field at the 2012 PGA Championship, also by a record eight shots. That back-nine collapse at the 2011 Masters was beginning to fade as McIlroy became the youngest player since Seve Ballesteros to win two majors. Woods was about four months older when he won his second major.

Discover more

Golf

Golf: Woods seeks to put Garcia spat behind him

30 May 02:13 AM
Golf

Golf: Alker mulling over British Open

04 Jun 08:05 PM
Golf

Golf: Campbell finds unique inspiration for Merion

06 Jun 12:10 AM
Golf

Ko looks to make history

06 Jun 01:32 AM

"Great players are defined by their major victories," McIlroy said. "Whenever you think about a golf legacy, you think about the majors. I guess I got off to a good start."

McIlroy grinned sheepishly during his appearance when the moderator pointed out that he had 1.6 million followers on Twitter compared to 495,000 for his girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. Seemingly forgotten now were the questions that had swirled last year that the romance was hurting his game after he missed four cuts in five tournaments.

McIlroy conceded before the Masters that the adjustment to new clubs - part of a huge endorsement deal with Nike - had taken some time. But his driving has improved along with his confidence. He said this year is different, despite what the leaderboard says.

"I'm in a better place," he said. "I wasn't showing many real signs of promise for a couple of months. This year there are signs. Last year, it was at the point I didn't know if I'd ever play well again."

- AP

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Golf

Golf

'A nice place to be': Ryan Fox on mental hurdles overcome in PGA Tour rise

02 Jul 04:32 AM
Sailing|sailgp

Fore the Record: Blair Tuke tees off on America's Cup and SailGP goals

01 Jul 06:01 AM
Golf

How the PGA tour looks after Ryan Fox's kids

30 Jun 10:30 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Golf

'A nice place to be': Ryan Fox on mental hurdles overcome in PGA Tour rise

'A nice place to be': Ryan Fox on mental hurdles overcome in PGA Tour rise

02 Jul 04:32 AM

'It went from everything racing to, all of a sudden, hey, I've got a chance to win.'

Fore the Record: Blair Tuke tees off on America's Cup and SailGP goals

Fore the Record: Blair Tuke tees off on America's Cup and SailGP goals

01 Jul 06:01 AM
How the PGA tour looks after Ryan Fox's kids

How the PGA tour looks after Ryan Fox's kids

30 Jun 10:30 PM
'Ideas in the works': Fox teases tweaks as Chasing the Fox event confirms return

'Ideas in the works': Fox teases tweaks as Chasing the Fox event confirms return

30 Jun 08:00 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP