QUAIL AND HEARTY

Mcllroy's in a position of strength as he heads to a favoured course

- BY DEREK FOLEY

IF Rory Mcllroy does have a home-from-home golf course away from Holywood it is, hands down, the PGA venue Quail Hollow.

To date he has posted four wins on the lengthy, expansive Charlotte course with forgiving greens.

And if golf is a statistician’s dream, then what to make of this?

Mcllroy has been its longest, most accurate driver in the last decade, firing his wedges to greens an average four-feet closer to the pin than any other player. His first PGA win was there in 2010 (by four strokes), second in (by seven), in 2021 (by third one) while there was a fourth victory last year (by five).

There has been just one previous Major staged at the course, in August 2017, when Mcllroy finished 22nd despite playing with an injured rib.

It is no wonder the Irishman, fully fit this time, has the bookies running scared as they price him at 5/1 alongside Scottie Scheffler.

Given the course favours the big hitters, that Mcllroy’s driving and definitive wedge play - he has four: 46, 50, 54, 60 degrees - will help relieve the pressure on his putting, the perceived ‘weakest’ part of his game.