Defending champion Rory McIlroy has been watching highlights of some of his best performances in an attempt to break his winless streak at this week’s US PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club.
The Northern Irishman has not tasted victory in 2013, but playing re-runs of when he has been at his imperious best – including winning this title at Kiawah Island by a record eight shots last year – could help turn his season around.
"I'm feeling good," said the World Number Three. "I've been watching a few videos of last year at Kiawah and watching some videos of some of my best weeks that I've played, and it has lifted me a little bit. I’ve taken some good things away from that.
“I think everyone sees when I walk and I'm playing well, I have that little bounce in my step, so I’m just trying to get that going again and trying to get that positive energy back.”
This time last year McIlroy had won once (on the US PGA Tour) and was answering similar questions about a slump in form, but a swashbuckling victory – his second Major title – sent him on his way to three more triumphs, including the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
He topped The Race to Dubai and the US PGA Tour Money List, emulating the achievement of Luke Donald in 2011.
"I love proving people wrong," said the 24 year old. "I loved sitting up here last year on the Sunday night and I’d proved a lot of people wrong. I guess I've learnt to maybe not listen as much or not read as much, just sort of wrap yourself in your own little world or your own little bubble.
"I had to deal with it after the Masters in 2011 whenever people were saying that I couldn’t come back from it and what's he going to do, he's blown his best chance to win a Major. Two months later I was able to win (the US Open). I've dealt with it before and it's just something that's part of the job."
McIlroy, who served up beef tenderloin and sticky toffee pudding at the past champions’ dinner on Tuesday night, added: "Every time you play and you don't play well, it chips away at your confidence, and it's just about building that back up. But I'm sitting here as confident as I have been all year, so I'm looking forward to getting going this week.”
Asked if he knew the reason behind his struggle for form this year, or if he would do anything differently, McIlroy replied: “First and foremost, I just haven't been swinging it the best this year. I got into a couple bad habits with my golf swing and it's just taken me a little bit longer to get out of them.
“When you're fighting that so much, it's hard to play the golf that I want to play, which is fluid and free-flowing. That's the way I play my best.
“I would have definitely played more at the start of this year. That's one thing I regret - I didn't play enough at the start of the year. I played Abu Dhabi and took like four weeks off. I needed to get into a run of events, and that's something I should have done differently. But that’s the only thing.”
