rory mcilroy confident as world number two targets Genesis Invitational
Rory McIlroy arrives at the Genesis Invitational buoyed by a strong closing round at Pebble Beach and a clearer sense of where his game stands ahead of the Masters defence. The world number two tees off on Thursday in a group with Tommy Fleetwood and Collin Morikawa, who arrives off the back of a victory last week.
Form check: late surge after a mixed Pebble Beach week
McIlroy heads into Riviera pleased with the positives he extracted from a troubled title defence at Pebble Beach, where costly holes left him five shots adrift. A final-round 64 was a sharp note to finish on and has given him confidence that the underlying ball‑striking and short game 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, " he said, acknowledging the early-season process of finding competition form. He added that he learned a lot about his game during the San Francisco peninsula event, noting that he had played well for large stretches but made a few big numbers that removed him from contention on Sunday.
McIlroy emphasised the positives: hitting plenty of high-quality shots, putting it close and converting many putts. Those elements, he said, provide encouragement both for this week at Riviera and for the run-up to April's major at Augusta National, where he will defend his Green Jacket.
Riviera tweaks and a vocal take on the par-three fourth
Practice on Wednesday gave McIlroy a chance to assess Riviera's playing conditions and its recent change to the par-three fourth hole. Organisers lengthened the hole substantially, making it a much longer challenge off the tee. McIlroy did not hide his displeasure with the alteration.
"I don't think it plays any differently, you're just hitting a slightly longer club - actually I think it's a horrible change, " he said. He argued that when a par-three is extended significantly, the surrounds and green apron must be adjusted to allow different shot options. Without that, he warned, aggressive attempts to fly the ball onto the green could send it well past the intended target, especially in the right conditions.
The Northern Irishman pointed to past statistics on the hole to underline his point, and suggested that surface types and apron design should have been changed if the hole was to be stretched to the new length. Despite the gripe, he expects the Riviera layout to be more forgiving than Pebble Beach and an opportunity to build momentum.
Augusta preview and short-term schedule
Beyond Riviera, McIlroy is already looking ahead to his return to Augusta. He plans a low-key revisit of the course next week, combining a casual round with a chance to see the changes that have been made ahead of his title defence in April. He has spoken of the nostalgia of seeing his nameplate in the champions' locker and the perks that come with being a major champion.
This week's objective is straightforward: sharpen competitive instincts and keep building the positive signs unearthed at Pebble Beach. With a challenging early-season schedule and a major title to defend, McIlroy's focus is on turning flashes of excellent golf into a consistently threat-making week at Riviera and getting into a rhythm before heading to Augusta.
As the club championship week unfolds, eyes will be on whether the world number two can translate his late Pebble Beach momentum into serious contention on a course that rewards precise approach play and steady putting.
