"I did what I wanted to do" - Rory McIlroy dubs his Memorial Tournament finish as a ‘step in the right direction’ ahead of US Open

Rory McIlroy finished T7 in the Memorial Tournament 2023. The Irish golfer, who had the chance to jump in the OWGR this week, closed with a disappointing 75 and watched Viktor Hovland lift the trophy. While the outing can be deemed forgettable, the ace golfer has dubbed it a "step in the right direction" ahead of the US Open.

McIlroy, who hasn’t won a tournament since the Dubai Desert Classic in January, showcased a below-average putting performance on Sunday. The golfer entered the final round tied for the lead on six under par. However, the World No. 3 failed to make a mark and fell three shots off the pace. Despite the lacklustre performance, the golfer was positive about his game.

Opening up about the outing, Rory McIlroy said that he ‘did what he wanted to do’ and it was a good step forward. Speaking about his T7 finish at the Memorial Tournament 2023, he said, as quoted by the Independent:

"I did what I wanted to do. I thought if I could stay patient and put my ball in play off the tee, which I did pretty much all day, I only hit it in the long rough once… I was in the first cut three times, and then the rest of the time, I was in the fairway. So, I did what I wanted to do. I just missed a few shots, and those two bogeys on the par-5s on the front nine were unforced errors.”

He added:

"I was one-over through nine (and three behind McCarthy), and Denny was at 8-under for the tournament; it was just -- it's hard to chase on that golf course the way it's playing. I hit a couple of loose shots on the back nine that at least I know where they're coming from, which is good, but it's probably -- it's a step in the right direction."

It is pertinent to note that this was McIlroy’s second T7 finish in a row. The ace golfer had settled for a similar score at the PGA Championship two weeks ago, losing the title to rival Brooks Koepka.

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Rory McIlroy eyes a strong comeback at the RBC Canadian Open

Rory McIlroy will be back on the greens this week at the RBC Canadian Open. The two-time defending champion will be eyeing a strong comeback from the Memorial outing. Needless to say, the Irishman will be aiming to build some confidence ahead of the 2023 US Open outing.

Speaking about his upcoming Canadian Open outing, Rory McIlroy said:

"It's nice. I've got next week, get straight back on the horse again in Canada and try to take the learnings from this week and try to do a little bit better next week."

It’ll be interesting to see how the ace golfer performs at the competition that falls just days ahead of the major championship.