RORY McILROY will hope to bounce back at the Travelers Championship as he bids for form ahead of next month’s Open.
The Holywood hotshot, 36, is teeing off today at Hartford, Connecticut.
But he has struggled since winning The Masters at Augusta in April.
His driver was banned at last month’s PGA Championship and he missed the Canadian Open cut.
It was also tough going at the US Open last week where he tied for 19th. But a three-under-par 67 on Sunday provided a glimmer of hope.
McIlroy heads back home for a break before the Scottish Open and then bids for another Open crown at Royal Portrush in Antrim, just an hour from where he was born.
He said: “I think the weeks after major championships in these events, sometimes when you are in contention and you are trying to win them, it can feel quite difficult to go play the next week.
“After a week like at Oakmont, where you’re not quite in the mix but feel you might find something in your game, it’s exciting to play again.
“This is the perfect sort of chaser and it’s nice to be on a course where you can make a few birdies.
“There’s a lot of guys in the field this week where this is their fourth tournament in a row.
“So they have been put through the wringer the last few weeks.
“This is a welcome set-up where they feel like they can relax a little bit and not have to grind so much for your score.”
McIlroy will tee off alongside American Keegan Bradley today.
But the Holywood hero will have to depose world No 1 Scottie Scheffler who is the current holder of the Travelers.
Scheffler has been paired with newly-crowned US Open champion JJ Spaun for the first round.
And Scheffler — who finished in a tie for seventh at Oakmont — said: “I didn’t have my best stuff last week.
“But I was still able to get a decent finish. I have felt good about my prep work so far this week. I’m excited to get the tournament started.”
He’s admitted he’s struggled for motivation since completing the career Grand Slam[/caption]
