McIlroy regaining form, confidence

AKRON, Ohio — A week ago, Rory McIlroy was hanging out in London at Olympic Village.

This week, he's been eating dinner at a TGI Friday's off an Ohio highway.

The change in scenery — and culture — means McIlroy is back to business, and over his last 27 or so holes at the Bridgestone Invitational, business has been good.

The world's third-ranked golfer has been far from perfect through two days at Firestone Country Club, but McIlroy feels he's not far off from regaining top form after a shaky early part of the summer. He came into this tournament looking to turn things around and carry that over into a crowded but important final stretch of the 2012 season.

"Obviously it would be nice to tee it up every week and be in contention, but it's just not going to happen," McIlroy said. "It was happening there for a while, and it was nice, and my game just sort of went off for a few weeks. The last few weeks I've just been trying to get it back to where it was and feel like I'm definitely getting closer to that."

After a rough start, it's shown on his first two scorecards at the Bridgestone.

McIlroy was 3-over after four holes Thursday. He played bogey-free golf from there and rallied back to even par for the day.

On Friday, an early bogey and a double-bogey just after the turn didn't stop him from posting a three-under 67.

"I don't like that double-bogey on the card but I recovered pretty well," McIlroy said. "Going out there and making six birdies today was nice. I'm trying to keep improving, keep improving on my score.

"Everything with my game is pretty good. I'm driving the ball a lot better. I'm a lot more confident with the driver. I've been giving myself a lot of good wedge shots, and I'm hitting them well."

The 23-year-old McIlroy went through a stretch of three straight missed cuts in June, finished seventh at the St. Jude Classic and then missed the cut at the U.S. Open. He was tied for tenth at the Irish Open and faded to finish in a tie for 60th two weeks ago at the British Open.

McIlroy took a few days away from the game after the British Open to watch and visit his girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki at the Olympics. He flew to Ohio early this week to be sure he put in plenty of time on the range here, at a course he likes and a tournament he thinks can be a launching pad.

"This is the start of a very busy stretch for basically all the guys that are playing in the States these two weeks, and then FedExCup, and then obviously the Ryder Cup, as well," McIlroy said. "It's a busy run, but it'll be nice to play well and get into a good bit of form and try and make a run.  There's a few things to play for, obviously, two big weeks coming up, and then concentrate on the FedExCup and try and do well in that, and then obviously try to go into the Ryder Cup playing as well as possible. 

"It's a very good stretch coming up, and I'm looking forward to it."

McIlroy came very close to entering the weekend at Firestone at five-under after he missed makeable putts on two of his final three holes Friday.

"I'm just happy I'm giving myself chances," McIlroy said. "Those two putts didn't drop but I hit them where I wanted to. You live with that sometimes."

McIlroy is in prime position for his third straight top-10 finish here at Firestone — he tied for sixth last year and tied for ninth in 2010 — and likes how he's hitting his driver, especially, as he heads to the weekend and to next week's PGA Championship at Kiawah Island Resort. 

"I wish I was a little closer to the lead (Jim Furyk is at 11-under) but I'm happy with the way I've played past the start," McIlroy said. "I'll take a lot of positives into the weekend and going forward."