Rory McIlroy Putting Is "A Work In Progress"

The four-time major winner has made big changes in an attempt to start putting better

Rory McIlroy putting
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy Putting Is "A Work In Progress". The world number five has revealed the changes he's made in a bid to regain his form on the greens

Rory McIlroy Putting Is "A Work In Progress"

A lot has been made of how Rory McIlroy's flat stick has been letting him down in recent times.

Rory ranks 1st in strokes gained off-the-tee and 2nd in strokes gained tee-to-green on the PGA Tour this season yet 130th in strokes gained putting.

He missed the cut at the USPGA despite ranking 1st in the field for strokes gained tee-to-green and described his putting as "pathetic".

The Ulsterman has changed back to a Scotty Cameron putter after the news that Nike would no longer make golf clubs, but it's not just the putter that's different.

Speaking this week before the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston, the world number five has revealed that he has enlisted the help of English putting guru Phil Kenyon.

McIlroy said:

"It’s a work in progress, I'm trying to work on a few things and trying to change a few things.

"Last week was a case of I was really concentrating too much with my technique rather than just trying to hole putts so hopefully it can start to begin to feel a little bit more natural this week and moving forward, but as I said it’s a work in progress.

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy and Kenyon in practice for The Barclays last week

"I’m taking a long term view of it and as long as I feel like I can see improvements each and every week and feel like I'm on the right path then I feel like that’s the right way to go.

"My miss was left usually, putter handle going left and up and trying to hold on to it with my body, it just wasn’t good. I'm trying to feel like there’s more loft on the putter on the way back and on the way through, trying to get my right side to work better.

Related: Rory reveals all in Golf Monthly's October issue

"Because my miss was left that meant I was under-reading left-to-right putts. I was starting to read putts trying to compensate for how I was putting.

"Green reading is different, set up is different, aiming the putter is different so everything is a work in progress. Obviously I’m in constant touch with Phil. I feel like he’s the way for me to go right now so we’ll see how it goes and work hard at it and hopefully I start to see little improvements each and every week."

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV