Rory McIlroy believes he is playing the best golf of his career as he continued his preparation for The Masters with a superb win at The Players Championships.
McIlroy returned on Monday for a three-hole playoff against unheralded American JJ Spaun on Monday after bad light stopped play on Sunday with the two tied at the top after 72 holes.
The Northern Irishman took control on the first playoff hole, booming a drive down the middle of the fairway before flipping a wedge onto the green for a two-putt birdie on the par-5 16th.
And while Spaun remained in touch with a par on the first playoff hole, the American saw his hopes evaporate when his tee shot into the par-3 17th flew the island green and landed in the water.
Spaun would tap in for a triple bogey, with McIlroy making no major mistakes down the final hole to wrap up a comfortable playoff victory and his second PGA Tour win off the season after his win at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February.
The victory also continues the 35-year-old’s hugely consistent start to the season and serves as the perfect springboard into the first major of the year at Augusta National.
McIlroy needs a Masters win to complete the career Grand Slam and believes his current level of performance is as good as he’s ever produced.
‘I’m unbelievably proud. I went home yesterday thinking I should have had this in the bag but I reset and got it done today,’ the Northern Irishman reflected after his win.
‘I did it a different way this week – I had to chip well and putt well and a lot of good recovery shots. It is a great feeling to know that different parts of my game can bail me out when I need it.
‘I’m really proud of my body of work. I’ve tried to get better every year. The younger guys are getting better each year and I’m doing my best to keep up.
‘I feel like I’m a better player now than I ever have been, and it’s nice to see the fruits of my labour paying off.’
Asked how he has improved in recent months, McIlroy explained: ‘I’m a better putter. I’m better around the greens. I can flight my ball better in the wind. My ability to shape shots both ways. Yeah, I’d say those are the things.
‘I’m managing myself more around — by no means did I have my best stuff this week, but I was still able to win one of the biggest tournaments in the world. That’s a huge thing.’
Sky Sports commentator Wayne Riley, meanwhile, believes McIlroy’s current form sets him up perfectly for his latest shot at golfing immortality.
‘It’s a very hard thing to do to go out and win the career Grand Slam – he’d be one of only six players to do it if he did it,’ Riley said.
‘It’s going to be interesting to watch, but he couldn’t be going into The Masters with any more confidence.’
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