| -13 C Morikawa (US); -11 P Casey (Eng), D Johnson (US); -10 M Wolff, B DeChambeau, T Finau (all US), J Day (Aus); -9 J Rose (Eng), S Scheffler (US) |
| Selected others: -7 J Rahm (Spa), -4 I Poulter (Eng); -3 T Fleetwood (Eng), B Koepka (US); -2 R McIlroy (NI); -1 J Thomas (US), T Woods (US); +3 R MacIntyre (Sco), S Lowry (Ire) |
| Full leaderboard |
World number three Rory McIlroy says his best golf may be behind him after his winless run in the majors continued with a disappointing performance at the US PGA Championship.
“Maybe I’m just not as good as I used to be,” said the Northern Irishman, 31.
“I can’t really put my finger on it. I go out there and try my best every single day.”
McIlroy was never really a factor at San Francisco’s TPC Harding Park, finishing on two under par as 23-year-old American Morikawa held off a stacked leaderboard to take a two-shot victory over compatriot Dustin Johnson and England’s Paul Casey.
The County Down man has won the PGA Tour’s season-long FedEx Cup title on two occasions – including last year – since his fourth major triumph six years ago and also clinched the prestigious Players Championship in 2019.
His 2019 campaign included a record £12.2m first prize when his Tour Championship triumph secured him the FedEx Cup, as well as victory at the Canadian Open, where he shot a closing 61.
“I feel like the golf that I’ve played in the majors has been sort of similar to the golf I’ve played outside of them, and I’ve won some big events and played well and had a good season last season,” added McIlroy.
“Some days I play better than others. I’ve just got to keep going and keep persisting and see if I can do better the next time.”
McIlroy ‘taken aback’ by Koepka comments
Morikawa’s first major win came with a closing six-under 64 at TPC Harding Park. In contrast, two-time defending champion Brooks Koepka faded badly on the final day, a closing 74 leaving him only one shot ahead of McIlroy.
That followed Koepka’s post-round comments on Saturday when he questioned Johnson’s major credentials amid his compatriot’s tally of a sole US Open triumph in 2016.
Koepka won successive US Opens in 2017 and 2018 in addition to his US PGA triumphs.
McIlroy said he was “taken aback” by Koepka’s comments, adding: “If he’s trying to play mind games, he’s trying to do it to the wrong person. I don’t think DJ really gives much of a concern to that.
“I certainly try to respect everyone out here. Everyone is a great player. If you’ve won a major championship, you’re a hell of a player.
“I mean, [it’s] sort of hard to knock a guy [Johnson] who’s got 21 wins on the PGA Tour, which is three times what Brooks has.”
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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