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2019 McIlroy Looking to End

12th,

June Pebble Beach Major

|
EXAMINER Drought

IRISH ory McIlroy is ready to “It’s an affirmation of what I can

play with complete free- do when I play with complete free-
Rdom as he tries to create dom like I did over the weekend,”
history by ending his major McIlroy said. “Even (when winning)
drought at Pebble Beach. the Players Championship I sort of
McIlroy’s victories in the had to grind it out. Conditions were
Bridgestone Invitational and US PGA tough.
Championship in 2014 make him the “You’re sort of just hanging on,
last player to win a PGA Tour event playing into the right spots, and I felt
immediately before winning a major, like this week I was free. I trusted
but no player has ever followed a myself 100 per cent and I hit the
Tour victory with another at the US shots when I needed to.
Open. “Honestly, this victory probably
The 30-year-old can achieve that gives me more confidence than the
feat this week following his domi- one at the Players because I played
nant victory in the RBC Canadian the way I did and I was so free out
Open, where he closed with rounds there, especially given the position I
of 64 and 61 to win by seven shots – was in.”
the tournament’s biggest winning McIlroy’s fellow Northern
margin in 67 years. Irishman Graeme McDowell was the
McIlroy’s second victory of the only player not to finish over par
season followed his only missed cut when he won the 2010 US Open at
of 2019 in the Memorial Tournament Pebble Beach, but McIlroy is deter- Open set-up it can make you play confidence just sort of grew all week.
and gave the former world number mined not to take a defensive careful, a little tentative and try to “That freedom just to swing away
one a timely confidence boost as he approach in the face of the expected guide it down the fairways,” he and be committed to what I was
tries to claim a first major title since punishing conditions. added. “But if I’ve learned anything doing, that’s really the difference
that 2014 US PGA win at Valhalla. “I think when you get to the US this week it’s my game is good between being in a final group and
enough and swing is good enough walking away with the trophy or
Sean Downes that I can play with freedom. not.”
McIlroy will partner Ryder Cup
“I’m not going to go and hit driv-
er on every hole, but when I pull a team-mate Jon Rahm and Australia’s
Attorney at Law club out of the bag I’ll make a really Marc Leishman in the first two
rounds at Pebble Beach, where he
good, committed swing and know
67 Wall Street, Suite 2401 for the most part it should work out missed the cut in 2010.
New York, New York 10005-3101 for me. Following his record-breaking vic-
Telephone: (212) 248-3232 Fax (212) 248-2848 “That confidence just came from tory at Congressional 12 months
Representing those injured in: my range sessions last weekend later, McIlroy’s best finish in the US
SCAFFOLDING ACCIDENTS CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS (after missing the cut at Muirfield Open is a tie for ninth at Chambers
MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
AND ALL OTHER ACCIDENT CASES Village) going into this week and the Bay in 2015, since when he has missed
shots I was hitting on the course. My three straight halfway cuts. C

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