Relaxed enough to rip off a toenail - McIlroy's unusual US PGA preparation
Not even a sore toenail that required a spot of self surgery could disturb Rory McIlroy's relaxed demeanour as he bids for back to back major wins at this week's US PGA Championship in Pennsylvania. "I softened it up in the shower and just ripped it off," the Masters champion laughed before removing his sock to show off the results of his handiwork on a now plaster-protected little toe on his right foot. As a result, he will go up half a size in his golf shoes for his assault on the Aronimink course near Philadelphia that stages the second men's major of the season, which starts on Thursday.
McIlroy is a different man compared with the tetchy figure who shunned the media for much of last year's PGA. Then he was in the midst of a hangover from his career Grand Slam victory at Augusta National. At that time he was unsure of what was coming next in a career that had reached an apparent crescendo with his tumultuous play-off win over Justin Rose at the 2025 Masters.
Having become just the fourth player to retain the famous Green Jacket with his victory last month, McIlroy made time to celebrate before readying himself for this week and another of the tournaments that help define a career. "Major championship wins don't come along that often," he told BBC Sport. "A little more often for me in the past couple years than the previous decade, so yeah, I wanted to enjoy it.
"The further I get on in my career, the more I start to realise how special these moments are. It was really nice to spend time at home with (wife) Erica and (daughter) Poppy and my parents. " Live text commentary of rounds one and two on Thursday and Friday from 12:30 BST, and of rounds three and four on Saturday and Sunday from 17:00.
Live radio commentary of Saturday's round three from 20:00 BST on Sports Extra; Sunday's final round from 20:00 on 5 Live (all timings subject to change) The celebratory period included attending the State banquet held for King Charles' recent visit to Washington DC, an invitation that prompted McIlroy to skip the PGA Tour's signature event at Doral in Miami earlier this month. But the six-times major winner flew out his lifelong coach Michael Bannon to his Florida base to prepare his game for the remaining three majors; this week's PGA, the US Open next month and then July's Open at Royal Birkdale. "It's been a really good two and a half weeks of practice and getting back into playing competitively," he said.