After winning his last three tournaments, including the two final majors of the year – the Open Championship and the PGA Championship – Rory McIlroy wants to end the season on a high by claiming the FedEx Cup Playoffs, which begins today with The Barclays.
The world No1, who also moved to the top of the FedEx Cup standings, said: “For me, it would just be very gratifying to know that I finished the season off well and the way it should be finished off.
“It’s a big four weeks coming up. The Playoffs is one of the only things that I haven’t achieved in this game. I want to finish the season well. I feel like the season I had, deserves a finish like that.”
McIlroy’s previous best finish in the FedEx Cup was second to Brandt Snedekker in 2012, despite winning two of the four Playoff events that year.
The Ulsterman added: “I’ve had a great summer and this is the next challenge and this is the next goal. Instead of dwelling or looking back on what you’ve done, look ahead and try and achieve the next goal.
“So regardless of it being the FedEx Cup or another major or whatever it is, the next goal is always the most important one for me.”
If McIlroy wins the tournament, he will join only four other players in the history of the PGA Tour to have won four or more events in as many starts.
That list is headed by Lord Byron Nelson’s amazing streak of 11 wins in 1945. Tiger Woods won seven straight titles in 2006 and 2007, and has also won six and five on the trot during his career. The other two are Ben Hogan and Jack Burke Junior.
But McIlroy refused to entertain suggestions that his emergence is a signal that the torch is being passed on to him by Woods.
“I’m not comfortable because I know Tiger is working his butt off to get back here and get back where he wants to be,” McIlroy said.
“Look, I’m just going to keep playing my golf and play as good as I can, and I’ll see where that takes me.
“But I don’t think any torch has been passed and I don’t think any torch will ever be passed because I never think of myself in that way. I don’t see the need for me to carry any sort of torch. I just want to win golf tournaments.”
However, one man in the field who can come close to Woods’ stature, Phil Mickelson, admits McIlroy will be difficult to beat.
Mickelson, who turned around a wretched season with a second place finish behind McIlroy at Valhalla in the PGA Championship, said: “His level of play this last month has been exceptional.
“Now, from what I’ve seen over the years with Tiger, from 2000, if you want to compare it to that, well, he’s got a ways to go.
“But to win the British and the PGA and throw a World Golf Championships in the middle, that is just a remarkable month of golf and some of the best that I’ve seen.
“Comparing with Tiger… well, he has done that over decades. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Rory did it too. You just never know. He’s that good. He can do it.”
Mickelson is brimming with confidence about his own chances too.
“The PGA was a big week for me because it was the first time this year my game was back,” he said.
“It gave me an excitement and energy heading into the FedEx Cup and Barclays here that my game is back and I’m ready to compete and get back into contention.”
