Rory McIlroy: ‘Putting pressure is off’

• Rory McIlroy says pressure is off after putting improvements
• The 27-year-old started working with coach Phil Kenyon
• “It bodes well for the future,” said the four-time major winner

Rory McIlroy says an immediate improvement in his putting has taken the pressure off as he bids to make a late surge up the FedEx Cup rankings.

The four-time major winner, who is six shots off the lead heading into the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship, started working with Phil Kenyon going into the week at TPC Boston and has seen instant results, going  +4.4 in Strokes Gained Putting for his last two rounds – a huge difference from the -10.3 in his previous seven.

“It bodes well for the future” – Rory McIlroy

“It’s nice,” McIlroy told the Irish Examiner of his improved putting. “I don’t feel as under pressure with my long game now to hit it inside three feet the whole time. I feel I can give myself chances from 10, 15, 20 feet and have a good chance of holing them.

Read more -> Rory McIlroy ‘inundated’ with new clubs

CONTINUES BELOW…

“It was just that little bit of confidence from yesterday, carried into today. I made four birdies in a row on the front nine and holed out well on the back nine as well.

“It bodes well for the future. It is only the second weekend of trying to change what I am doing. I am already showing some signs of really good stuff.”

Ranked No.130 on the PGA Tour Strokes Gained Putting heading into the Deutsche Bank Championship, McIlroy is sitting tenth in that category for the week and second if only including rounds two and three, reflecting well on Kenyon – who is also the coach of major and Olympic medal winners Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose.

And the 27-year-old, who also switched putters during the week of The Barclays to a Scotty Cameron Prototype mallet, came unbelievably close to finishing his round yesterday with an albatross…

Rory McIlroy … 210 yards … for albatross …

Incredible. https://t.co/lZwfDtL46c

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 4, 2016

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Rory McIlroy :: Can he win?

He may be six shots back, but in the form he’s shown this week where do you think Rory McIlroy can finish this evening? Leave your thoughts in the ‘Comments’ section below.