Rory McIlroy heads into the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship with plenty of reasons to feel good about his game.
He tied for second at the Genesis Invitational, despite struggling on the greens throughout his final round. His putter finally woke up on the 18th, where he rolled in a 30-footer.
McIlroy’s 2025 PGA Tour season was one to remember. He won three times and capped it off by completing the career Grand Slam with a Masters victory.
Motivation had been an issue for him since that Augusta win. But in 2026, he looks refreshed and seems to have set himself new targets and career goals.
The early signs this season have been encouraging, even if the Northern Irishman has not picked up a win just yet.
With two big events coming up soon, it would not be surprising if he were to break through sooner rather than later.
Rory McIlroy shares thoughts on his form heading into Bay Hill and The Players
McIlroy did not hide his frustration over missing out on the Genesis title, but there were still positives to take away from Riviera.
His ball-striking stood out throughout the week, though the Poa annua greens proved difficult.
Speaking after his final round, the 36-year-old explained how he is feeling about his game at the moment.
“Overall a really positive week,” he said.
“I feel like I’ve got a lot out of this West Coast Swing, last week at Pebble and then here. Have a week off to work on some things even though I feel like my game’s pretty much all there.
“Looking forward to Bay Hill and THE PLAYERS. I feel like my game’s in really good shape. I’m looking forward to getting on some Bermuda greens over the next couple weeks.
“But it’s feeling good, it’s feeling much better than it did in Dubai, which is a big step in the right direction. Just have to keep working.”
Rory McIlroy backs his 2026 major hopes ahead of busy spring
With Scottie Scheffler still not fully back to his best and a packed stretch of big events coming up, there is every reason to think the five-time major champion could be on the verge of a strong run.
He has already scaled golf’s highest peaks, but there is still plenty left for McIlroy to chase in his career. The sport never makes it easy, though.
Even with consistent play over a full season, lifting one of the four biggest trophies is far from guaranteed. A little good fortune is always part of the equation, no matter how well you are striking it.
The key difference for McIlroy heading into this year is confidence. It might not have always been there in the past, but right now he sounds sure of where his game is heading – and that might be just what he needs.
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