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McIlroy plays it coy ahead of PGA

LOUISVILLE (Kentucky) — Today’s golfing stories about Rory McIlroy are a lot more flattering than those that were being written a year ago, but if the player himself reads too much into them, they could also be a lot more dangerous. That’s why he’s playing it coy ahead of the year’s last Major, the PGA Championship.

McIlroy during practice for the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Country Club on Tuesday. He has had a great run of golf recently, with three wins in his last seven starts. 
Photo: USA TODAY Sports

McIlroy during practice for the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Country Club on Tuesday. He has had a great run of golf recently, with three wins in his last seven starts.
Photo: USA TODAY Sports

LOUISVILLE (Kentucky) — Today’s golfing stories about Rory McIlroy are a lot more flattering than those that were being written a year ago, but if the player himself reads too much into them, they could also be a lot more dangerous. That’s why he’s playing it coy ahead of the year’s last Major, the PGA Championship.

McIlroy led from start to finish at Hoylake in Liverpool to win the British Open. Hot on the heels of that, he powered through Firestone at the weekend to win his first World Golf Championship.

Now he is the overwhelming favourite at the PGA Championship in Louisville. He is looked on in some corners as a sure winner, a label once reserved only for Tiger Woods.

Boy Wonder is not so sure about that.

“Sometimes I feel that people are too quick to jump to conclusions,’’ McIlroy said shortly after his arrival at the Valhalla course this week. “I’ve had a great run of golf and I’ve played well over the past few months.

“Look, I said at the start of the year that golf was looking for someone to put their hand up and sort of become one of the dominant players in the game.

“I felt like I had the ability to do that. And it’s just nice to be able to win a few tournaments and get back to where I feel I should be.’’

He is No 1 in the world again. He has three wins in his last seven starts. And with three legs of the career Grand Slam — only Woods and Jack Nicklaus were younger than the 25-year-old McIlroy when they achieved that — there was even talk about the start of a new era.

McIlroy wasn’t buying.

“I’m just really happy with where my golf game is at the minute, and I just want to try and continue that for as long as possible,’’ he said.

“And people can say what they want to say. That’s fine. But I can’t read too much into it ... Because if you read everything that was being written, I’d turn up at the first tee on Thursday thinking I’d already won the tournament.’’ AP

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