Rory McIlroy is in the final pairing of the BMW Championship on Sunday, alongside solo leader Wyndham Clark.
But even with his game now trending in the right direction at Bellerive Country Club, the six-time major winner believes he is still not there yet.
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McIlroy’s summer took a hard turn after a flat finish at The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
The golfer hadn’t actually taken time to enjoy his second straight green jacket. So after The Open, he made the call to shut things down, skipping the 3M Open and pulling out of a subsequent run of events.
He wanted to enjoy the summer with his family and was not excited about the FedEx playoffs. Being out of touch with golf for so long is definitely showing signs.
Rory McIlroy Career Admission to Johnson Wagner
Johnson Wagner with a great quote from Rory McIlroy 🍷😂@johnson_wagner pic.twitter.com/1cOUSt8hPG
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) August 22, 2026
Asked about the state of his swing during the week, McIlroy was blunt with CBS’s Johnson Wagner.
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“The things that are going on in my swing,” he said, “That’s what happens when you hold a wine glass for three straight weeks”
A similar admission came last week when he revealed to Golf Digest that he had gained weight during those three weeks. The gained weight also affected his fitness.
Despite the consequences, however, he does not regret choosing the schedule one bit. To him, he is at a different point in his life where more important things other than his career exist.
Rory McIlroy Believes the Player of the Year Debate Has Become Harder
"What Wyndham is doing this week, if he keeps playing the way he is, it's a conversation."
Rory McIlroy weighs in on Wyndham Clark's chances of receiving PGA TOUR Player of the Year honors 👀 pic.twitter.com/IFJHS2QXkN
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) August 22, 2026
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McIlroy tees off Sunday five shots behind Clark, who has built the largest 54-hole BMW Championship lead since 2019.
Earlier in the week, McIlroy had suggested, half-jokingly, that Scottie Scheffler was the likely favorite. By Saturday, he sounded less certain that was still the case if Clark closes it out.
“What Wyndham is doing this week, if he keeps playing the way he is, it’s a conversation,” McIlroy said. “It’s really about what your peers value more. If you look at Scottie’s statistical profile, he’s number one in strokes gained, number one in scoring average. He’s number one in so many statistical categories. But if Wyndham goes on and wins this week, I think we’re going to have to think about it a little bit harder.”
This week has not gone the way the World #1 would have hoped. He is currently tied for 15th at 5-under par.
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