McIlroy's wake up call ahead of Irish Open

Golf

Rory McIlroy (left) and Graeme McDowell share a joke on the 8th tee box during a practice round for this week's Irish Open

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

By Peter Hutcheon

Rory McIlroy says missing three cuts in a row earlier this year on the European Tour was the kick up the backside he needed.

The young Ulsterman, who just turned 19 at the weekend, says he's had a deliberately low-key start to this season in order to be really ready for the long stretch of tournaments which begins this week with the Irish Open at Adare Manor.

"I've learned a few things out there this year and one of the things is that you are going to have a few hiccups along the way and you have to learn to deal with that," he said.

"Obviously I missed those few cuts out in Malaysia and South Korea and that sort of gave me a kick up the backside so say you really have to work hard to maintain your position.

"All of the other guys are in the gym and hitting balls and working on their short game.

"That's one thing I've learned is that you have to keep working extremely hard out there."

"I was on holiday for a couple of weeks and I probably went too long without hitting a ball or practising and I said to myself that's not good enough £ you have to work harder than that and that's what I've done."

This is McIlroy's first event in Ireland as a professional, a point not lost on him going into this week.

"I'm really looking forward to this, the course looks in great shape.

"I played in 2005 as an amateur at Carton House but this is different.

"I think going out and getting my Tour card so quickly put a lot of expectations on me."

Naturally a win this week would be a wonderful feather in his cap but he has perhaps scaled back his own expectations a little and has set himself some attainable goals this year.

Finishing in the top 60 on the European Order of Merit is well within his reach £ he's outside the top hundred at the minute.

He also has his sights set on the Open and the qualifying at Sunningdale and Walton Heath.

He revealed that he may play both venues ahead of the actual events.

"The season is only starting now with all of the big events coming up," he says.

"I feel like I have progressed quite steadily over the last couple of months and hopefully I can go on and challenge in a couple of events.

"I would love to win but there's so many good players out there that work so hard, it tough to expect to win all the time."