McIlroy wants to 'get putter to cooperate' at Open

Rory McIlroy hopes improved shape pinch nan putter tin thief him equine a superior situation for nan Open Championship astatine Royal Troon this week.

McIlroy's accordant ball-striking put him connected nan fringes of contention passim nan Scottish Open astatine The Renaissance Club, but nonaccomplishment to make nan astir of his chances connected nan greens proved his downfall arsenic he fell short successful his defence of nan title he won past year.

Ascending rounds of 65, 66, 67 and 68 near nan world number 2 in a necktie for fourth connected 14 nether par, 4 shots down victor Robert MacIntyre.

"The logic that I for illustration to play nan week earlier nan fields is to sound a small spot of rust disconnected and effort to get sharp, and I consciousness for illustration I've done that this week," McIlroy told nan PGA Tour website, external aft his last information successful Scotland.

"If I tin get nan putter to cooperate and get nan velocity of nan greens down...I consciousness for illustration I'll beryllium successful a really bully spot [for nan Open]."

McIlroy's solitary Open Championship occurrence to day came astatine Royal Liverpool successful 2014, a triumph which was followed 1 period later by his astir caller awesome triumph astatine nan US PGA Championship astatine Valhalla.

The 35-year-old, from Holywood successful Northern Ireland, almost ended his 10-year awesome drought astatine nan caller US Open astatine Pinehurst, but his putting besides crucially fto him down connected that occasion.

Two missed putts from wrong 4 feet connected his past 3 holes saw McIlroy decorativeness 1 down victor Bryson DeChambeau.

McIlroy had birdied nan past 2 holes to triumph astatine nan 2023 Scottish Open but lamented his nonaccomplishment to person his opportunities astatine nan Renaissance Club this clip round.

"I had a batch of chances that I wasn't capable to convert, and that was benignant of nan communicative of nan week," he said.

"I was leaving a batch of putts short, and erstwhile they do get that slow, I really find it a small trickier to publication them. The greenish speeds, I've struggled pinch nan past mates of days."

McIlroy was returning to action for nan first clip since his disappointing decorativeness to his US Open campaign.

"I felt for illustration nan ball-striking was location beautiful overmuch each day," he added. "There were a fewer scrappy bits present and there, but overall, it was a bully week to spot wherever my crippled is heading into adjacent week, particularly aft nan backmost of 3 weeks off.

"Pleased pinch nan week pinch 1 oculus connected trying to take sides here, but evidently an oculus connected trying to get prepared for Troon arsenic well."