McIlroy had the putter working at the Irish Open, and when his short game gets rolling, it tends to turn tournaments in his favour. He outlasted Joakim Lagergren over three playoff holes to seal a memorable win on home soil.
It was McIlroy’s eagle on the final hole – draining a 20-footer – that pushed the event into extra holes, sparking wild scenes among the fans.
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With big events like Wentworth and the Ryder Cup coming up, seeing putts fall is exactly what McIlroy will have wanted.
Speaking after his win, he explained how small changes to his practice habits have started paying off.
Rory McIlroy shares what’s helped improve his putting
McIlroy’s putt on the 18th was one of those moments that sticks with you, and the reaction at the K Club said it all. And when he was asked about the changes, McIlroy pointed to a few key factors.
“Yeah, I finally found my range, around 30 feet, it looks like. Yeah, it’s been a great season putting-wise. I think I finished fourth in strokes gained putting on the PGA Tour, which is by far statistically the best I’ve ever done,” McIlroy admitted.
“I’ve worked with Brad Faxon now for the last 6 1/2 years, and I learned a few things, I think. Working with Fax has really helped,” he added. “I think the style of putter that I’ve gone [with], the Spider mallet-style putter definitely helps me in some of the strokes with the way I do — it helps me be a little more consistent.”
McIlroy went on to say that his work with Brad Faxon is rarely technical and often just about mindset.
“Then when I do work with Fax we keep it very simple. There’s really only a couple of thoughts… Sometimes he’ll come over to The Bear’s Club or whatever and it’s supposed to be for a putting lesson and we don’t even hit any putts,” McIlroy said.
“We’ll talk about putting; we’ll grab a coffee talk about mindset we’ll talk about routine and that will be it.
How Rory McIlroy’s putting stats have looked in 2025
Strong putting can change the outlook of any round, at any level of the sport. That goes for local amateurs as much as it does for tour pros like McIlroy. When the putter is working, it changes everything.
McIlroy has spoken positively about his stroke this season, and his PGA Tour numbers back that up. It’s been a strong year with the flat stick so far.
The data backs up what McIlroy has said himself: his putting has delivered results in 2025.
If he continues to build on that progress, there’s every reason to believe major title number six could be on the horizon in 2026.
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