Rory McIlroy confident at Riviera as he eyes Genesis Invitational and return to Augusta
Rory McIlroy, the world number two, arrives at the Riviera Country Club confident in his game as he looks to secure a first Genesis Invitational victory and then head to Augusta for a practice round ahead of his title defence.
Rory McIlroy previews Riviera: group, recent form and a course change he dislikes
McIlroy will tee off in a group with Tommy Fleetwood and Collin Morikawa, with Morikawa arriving fresh from a victory at the AT& T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He highlighted progress in his play after finishing in a tie for 14th at Pebble Beach, five shots behind Morikawa, and noted an impressive final-round 64 as part of his tune-up heading into this event.
He practised on Wednesday at the Riviera course and addressed a notable change to the par-three fourth, which has been lengthened from 237 yards to 273 yards. McIlroy was blunt about the adjustment: "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 argued the hole's setup will alter how players can approach it and raised concerns about the surrounding apron and grass type affecting run-on play.
On his recent form, McIlroy said he is "working through that first bit of the year where I'm trying to shake a bit of rust off, " adding that there is "enough good in there" to be encouraged this week and beyond.
Masters champion plans an Augusta stop after Riviera
After his week at the Genesis Invitational, McIlroy intends to return to Augusta for an early look at the course where he will defend his Green Jacket. He has scheduled a round with his father and with Augusta National's chairman for an informal visit, describing a prior trip that included promotional work and a visit to the champions locker room where he saw his nameplate alongside other champions.
McIlroy also noted a small alteration he observed at Augusta: the plate on the 17th has been moved back 10 yards to make that hole slightly longer, though he added that otherwise the course seemed much the same. The trip to Augusta will be a chance to shift from practice and course reconnaissance into sharper competitive mode after his time at Riviera.
What to watch this week
Key storylines include whether McIlroy can convert his encouraging signs into contention at Riviera and how he handles the longer par-three fourth that he publicly criticised. His recent form—recovering from a week that included a triple and multiple double-bogeys that cost him at Pebble Beach but also featured a final-round 64—adds intrigue to his Genesis Invitational challenge.
With a high-quality group that includes a recent tournament winner and the Northern Irishman fresh from learning lessons about his game, the week will serve as both a competitive test and a stepping stone toward his return to Augusta.
