Rory McIlroy reveals positive signs he noticed at the Travelers as he gears up for Open bid
The Northern Irish superstar delivered a strong week as he gets set for Scotland and Open
Rejuvanated Rory McIlroy feels positive vibes after the Travelers as he now heads home to start building for his mammoth Open bid.
The Northern Irish superstar is returning to the UK in high spirits after a strong showing at TPC River Highlands.
McIlroy's excellent closing 65 at the Travelers gave another indication that he is finally finding his mojo again after the epic Masters success which won him a career Grand Slam.
The 36-year-old's triumph at Augusta took him to such an exalted place that, by his own admission, he's understandably found motivation tough as he hunts his next Everest to climb.
McIlroy flopped at the PGA Championship and endured another mostly-trying week at the US Open having missed the cut by a gap beforehand in Canada.
However, his final round at Oakmont signalled a brighter spell and he backed it up with a strong performance in Connecticut.
As pal Tommy Fleetwood and Keegn Bradley fought out the finish, McIlroy quietly carded a terrific last-day 65 to go with an opening 64 for a finishing total of 12-under par.
Brightness shone across both his play and his demeanour and those signs are hugely encouraging as he heads home for a momentous spell, which starts at the Genesis Scottish Open before the bid for a Claret Jug on home soil at Royal Portrush.
McIlroy is looking forward to a breather and a reflective freshen up to get ready for the fabulous fortnight with a belief that he's heading in the right direction again.
Following his last effort at the Travelers, he said: 'It was a good way to end the week, sort of good, positive vibes going into a couple-week break and get ready for Scotland and The Open Championship.
"I definitely saw some positive signs in the game overall, which was really good to see. Looking forward to getting back over to my neck of the woods for a couple weeks and be prepared for a little bit of links golf.
'I think more so than anything else it will just be good for me mentally to take a little bit of a break and, as I said, get back to my neck of the woods, get back to the UK for a little bit, excited for that.
"I've alluded to the fact I probably haven't taken enough time off or time to reflect after what happened [at Masters] in April, so I'm excited to do a little bit of that over these next two weeks.'
McIlroy's game looked in good health through the event as he finished just three behind eventual winner Bradley and level with Scottie Scheffler.
He added: 'I drove it better, but I felt like I started to drive it better at Oakmont, so that was really good. I putted the ball well, feel like I finished up there in the putting stats.
"I think as well playing in a little bit of wind a couple of days here, trying to control your ball flight with irons a little bit, feel like that was good. Overall felt like my game was certainly better than it has been the last few weeks, which is a good sign.'
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