rory mcilroy confident ahead of Genesis Invitational bid after Pebble Beach tune-up
Rory McIlroy arrives at the Genesis Invitational in confident mood after a strong finish at the AT& T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week. The world number two will open his week on Thursday (ET) alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Collin Morikawa, and says the positives from his recent form outweigh the costly mistakes that cost him at Pebble Beach.
Strong finish, lessons learned
McIlroy closed his Pebble Beach week with an impressive 64 in the final round, an encouraging sign as he looks to shake off early-season rust. He finished five shots behind Morikawa, who won at Pebble Beach, but the final-round display provided evidence his ball-striking and putting are in good shape.
"I'm working through that first bit of the year where I'm trying to shake a bit of rust off, " McIlroy said. He added that while he played well for large portions of the week, a handful of big numbers on Sunday took him out of contention. That mix of solid play and costly errors has left him focused on converting opportunities and avoiding the high numbers that derail tournament runs.
With multiple major titles in his locker and the Masters defence looming in April, McIlroy is treating the Riviera week as both a chance to chase a first Genesis title and an opportunity to sharpen competitive instincts ahead of Augusta. He highlighted the confidence he has gained from hitting good shots and making putts, calling that a valuable platform for both this week and the road to the spring majors.
Riviera tweaks draw criticism
McIlroy practised on the Riviera course on Wednesday (ET) and voiced frustration over a recent change to the par-three fourth hole. The hole has been stretched from 237 yards to 273 yards, a move McIlroy described as unwelcome and poorly thought through for the current green apron and grass types.
He noted that when the hole played around 230 yards in the past only a small fraction of the field found the green, and argued that simply lengthening the hole without altering the green apron or grass type disadvantages players who try to fly the shot. "You're just hitting a slightly longer club — actually I think it's a horrible change, " he said, outlining why the redesign could produce awkward results in the right conditions.
Despite the criticism, McIlroy expects the Riviera layout to offer more scoring opportunities than the coastal test at Pebble Beach, and he believes that should suit his game as he looks to build momentum in the weeks before Augusta.
Looking ahead: Genesis and beyond
The Genesis week provides McIlroy with a competitive tune-up ahead of a planned trip to Augusta next week (ET), where he will take an informal look around the course ahead of his Masters defence in April. He spoke fondly of recent visits to the champions' locker room and the perks that come with being a past champion, but stressed that those moments are nostalgic rather than emotional.
His immediate goal is straightforward: convert the solid ball-striking and putting he has shown into a clean week at Riviera and avoid the big numbers that have hampered recent chances. With a group that includes Morikawa — fresh off a Pebble Beach victory — McIlroy will face stiff competition, but believes the positives from the last fortnight give him reason for optimism.
As tournament play begins on Thursday (ET), attention will be on whether McIlroy can turn encouraging signs into a first Genesis Invitational title and carry that momentum into the critical run of events leading to the Masters.
