News

Rory McIlroy to reassess his game, may skip Northern Trust Open

Published

8 years ago

Aug 13, 2018

Ben Alberstadt

Following his T-50 finish at Bellerive, Rory McIlroy is considering skipping the Northern Trust Open in two weeks time.

Per ESPN’s Bob Harig, McIlroy is going to “take a couple of days off [to] reflect on what I need to do going forward.”

“Historically, the first FedEx playoff event hasn’t been my best event of the four. I’ve played well in Boston. I’ve played well in the other two. So we’ll see. I’ll see how I feel. I’ll do some practice this week and see if I feel ready to go there and play. Obviously, five out of six weeks or whatever it is leading up to the Ryder Cup.”

McIlroy said, “My swing really hasn’t been where I want it to be,” saying that he’s been missing the ball both left and right.

Statistically McIlroy’s 2016 season, in which he won both the Deutsche Bank Championship and the Tour Championship, as well as the Irish Open, was markedly better.

Since that time, the Ulsterman’s approach play has suffered somewhat: McIlroy dropped from 31st on Tour in strokes gained: approach two seasons ago to 81st this season. However, he’s still gaining strokes on the field.

Compared to two seasons ago when he won twice, McIlroy’s driving is well off. In 2016, he was first on Tour in strokes gained: off-the-tee picking up an incredible 1.230 strokes on the field average. This year, while he’s 14th, McIlroy is picking up a mere .636 strokes.

Ultimately, however, McIlroy was fourth in total strokes gained in 2016. He’s 11th this season. So stating that he’s experiencing massive swing dysfunction or slumping in the extreme would be inaccurate.

That said, taking a couple of days off and evaluating is a wise move. McIlroy will be disappointed with his major finishes this season, and the only event he truly cares about the remainder of this season is the Ryder Cup. Best to figure out how to put himself in position to play well in Paris a the end of September and begin plotting his path to Augusta in six months time.

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

9 Comments

freowho

Aug 14, 2018 at 6:31 am

You don’t need to be concerned about anything when you are that rich!!!

Reply Report comment
Kevin Arnold

Aug 13, 2018 at 6:36 pm

For the love of Pete! Go grab your old Titleist blades, your 910 driver, Vokey wedges that you hit lasers with, and your Scotty Cameron gold putter. Dump all your Taylor Made gear.

Stop trying to bulk up and simply go hit the ball 20 yards shorter and straighter. You have too much talent to be losing majors to guys with half your talent.

Reply Report comment
Kevin

Aug 13, 2018 at 4:34 pm

78th in SG putting.

SG top 15 in total SG off the tee.

81st is SG in approaching the green.

basically, he’s not driving it bad at all. his iron and especially short irons aren’t giving him enough birdie opportunities, and he’s not converting those chances because of not putting comparatively great.

his short game around the green has been fantastic.

what needs to change? mainly his swing is set up to drive the ball far but not for accuracy inside 150yards. his wedge game is less than good. from 125-150 yards he’s downright bad. he simply isn’t taking advantage of his ability to drive the ball really really well.

Reply Report comment
Bl

Aug 13, 2018 at 2:44 pm

It’s NOT the Northern Trust OPEN. It’s just “The Northern Trust.” The open one was in L.A. but that’s gone now

Reply Report comment
Tom54

Aug 13, 2018 at 12:30 pm

L Smith is correct. Butch would get him fixed for sure. Lots of pros have stepped up their games with him. Maybe Dave Pelz too cause he doesn’t look very comfortable on the greens. Too much talent with the driver and scores don’t reflect all those short clubs into greens.

Reply Report comment
James

Aug 13, 2018 at 12:29 pm

Shouldn’t he be more concerned with his abysmal putting?

At the moment he’s ranked 250th on the European Tour for SG Putting this season.

Reply Report comment
L Smith

Aug 13, 2018 at 11:46 am

1- Get a professional caddie;

2- Call Butch Harmon

Reply Report comment
- jgpl001
  
  Aug 13, 2018 at 5:03 pm
  
  Spot on
  
  1. Get a proper, professional caddy with years of PGA experience – call Bones ????
  2. Call Butch or Claude now for an outside eye ????
  3. Get some Vokeys back into the bag and hit wedges until he drops ????
  
  Reply Report comment
Go

Aug 13, 2018 at 10:58 am

He needs to switch back to 6.5

Reply Report comment

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

9 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

3 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase