'Way better' Rory McIlroy on roll again heading into PGA Championship at Valhalla

It was mission accomplished back in 2014 as McIlroy got his hands on the Wanamaker Trophy and his tail is up once more, having backed up a recent confidence-boosting team win with Shane Lowry in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans by storming to a five-shot success in the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in North Carolina.

The world No 2 produced an eight-under-par burst - it included two eagles - over an eight-hole stretch from the eighth and playing partner, leaving overnight leader Xander Schauffele finding himself being blown out of the water.

It was McIlroy’s fourth title triumph in this event, having landed the first one at just 20 and this latest one just after turning 35. He’s been stuck on four majors since that Valhalla victory in the dark over Phil Mickelson, but is in the perfect frame of mind as heads back there.

“Yeah, when you play an eight-hole stretch in eight under par, it feels a little like that,” admitted McIlroy in reply to being asked if this felt like the “old explosive Rory” as he moved level with Henry Picard in 22nd spot on the list of all-time PGA Tour wins.

“I've been sort of banging this drum for the last few years, but I'm a way better player now than I was back then. I haven't had the major record to back that up, but I've had the wins, I've done everything else there is to do in the game since 2014.

“The only thing I need to do is get another major. You know, a win like this going into the PGA Championship next week is a good way to prep for that.”

Though still working with long-time coach Michael Bannon, a flying visit to see legendary American coach Butch Harmon in Las Vegas just before last month’s Masters seems to have been the catalyst for McIlroy finding a missing link in his game, but what had that been?

“I don't know,” he admitted. “I think part of it was technical, I was missing a lot of shots left. Yeah, I think that was really it. Then missing those shots left, not having full confidence in what I was doing with my swing, and that sort of bleeds into the rest of your game.

“I've always said whenever I'm driving the ball well and hitting the ball well, I think it sort of -- you know, it goes the other way and it feeds into my short game and my putting and I can get confidence from that. So it just needed like a little spark, and there were signs of life, San Antonio, Augusta, but getting that little spark in New Orleans and getting the win there with Shane definitely gave me a lot of confidence.

“Especially with how I played at the weekend there. And I think this week was just a continuation of how I felt. I felt like I drove the ball incredibly well at New Orleans, especially over the weekend. I drove the ball great again this week.

“Historically, this is a golf course that lets you hit driver a lot and you can really take advantage of length off the tee if you have it. It's one of the big factors why I've been able to do so well here over the years. Combine that with how comfortable I felt with my short game and my putting this week, I'm able to put runs together on this golf course that has enabled me to win here for the fourth time.”

The Genesis Scottish Open champion successfully defended the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January, having been pipped by Tommy Fleetwood in the inaugural Dubai Invitational the week before that following a last-hole slip up at Dubai Creek. He then went off the boil a bit – but is back looking as good as he has for a long time.

“There's been times,” he replied to being asked when the last time his game felt as good as this. “I think there was a stretch last summer sort of like Memorial, Canada, US Open, Travelers, Scottish Open, Open,” he said. Probably right around last summer is when it felt. But I think this actually feels a little bit better than that.

“Yeah, it hasn't been too long ago. I feel like my '22 and '23 seasons were pretty good years and felt pretty comfortable with my game for the most part for those two years. I just went through a bit of a quiet spell there for a couple of months at the start of this year, but I feel like I'm back where I need to be.”