2024 BMW PGA Championship: Rory McIlroy Can Still Put a ‘Nice Shine’ On His Year Despite Irish Open Heartbreak

The 2024 season has been a series of missed opportunities for Rory McIlroy. Be it at the Paris Olympics, where he tied for the fifth position, losing the medal by just four strokes to Scottie Scheffler, or the US Open before that, where he missed lifting the trophy to Bryson DeChambeau by just one stroke. His latest heartbreak came at the Amgen Irish Open last week.

McIlroy was enjoying a great run on the first three days. On Friday he even claimed winning the event would put a “nice shine” on his 2024. However, things didn’t work out in his favor. Even though he kept up his momentum, with Saturday and Sunday rounds of 69, that wasn’t enough. Rasmus Hojgaard stepped in with birdie after birdie on Sunday carding an impressive 65. He took home the crown, leaving the World No. 3 once again stuck at the runner-up position by just one stroke.

Things clearly have not been ideal so far for the Northern Irishman. However, despite all these heartbreaks, Rory McIlroy has still got enough opportunities to shine bright in the remaining part of 2024. Here’s how:

Rory McIlroy is a part of the BMW PGA Championship

The BMW PGA Championship is all set to kickstart its 20th edition in just a few hours at the Wentworth Golf Club. Rory McIlroy, who has concluded his PGA Tour 2024 season, has started his run into the DP World Tour and has already won the Dubai Desert Classic. He is among the top-ranked players. That clubbed with his current stupendous form, only adds to his probability of bagging a win.

Exceptional track record at the BMW PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy began his 2024 season with a successful Rolex title defense and is now aiming to strengthen his record at the BMW PGA Championship. The 35-year-old Northern Irishman won at the Wentworth in 2014 after a dramatic final round, after he overturned a seven-shot deficit overnight carding a 66, and finally clinching the trophy. Moreover, Rors has bagged a top-10 finish in his last four appearances at the event. Now, a decade later he is all geared up to bag a victory at the same course, with the highest rank on the field.

Jon Rahm’s absence from the field

If there was anyone who could be of direct competition for Rory McIlroy at the 2024 BMW PGA Championship, it would have been Jon Rahm. The Spaniard is one of the very few people who hold a better track record than the World No. 3 at the tournament. He has two runner-up finishes at the Wentworth, and finished in the fourth position last year, just a few strokes away from winning the trophy. However, thanks to Rahm’s shift to the breakaway league in December 2023 he won’t be competing this year.

Lack of strength in the field is an advantage for Rory McIlroy

Adding to the list of benefits that Rory McIlroy has is the fact that a lot of the top players are missing from the Wentworth field for this weekend. To begin with, Viktor Hovland, who made consecutive T5 finishes in the last two editions will not be competing at the event. Tyrrell Hatton, who finished runner-up last year will not be competing this season either. Additionally, top players like Adam Scott, Tommy Fleetwood, and Billy Horschel too, who regularly compete at the event are not part of the field this year.

Do you think the World No. 3 will finally be able to make his season shine this weekend? Let us know in the comments below.