Johnson Wagner has warning for every player about Rory McIlroy at the PGA Championship, ‘I’d be scared’

“I saw enough great stuff out of him this week, I’m not concerned at all. I watched him warm up yesterday, and on the chipping green, some of the shots he was able to play were absolutely ridiculous. He just kept hitting these flop shots off this tight fairway grass right around the green. He holed like three chips in about 20 shots that he hit, and every other one looked like it was going to go in. So I think he’s primed and ready.

“The way he talked after The Masters about the Grand Slam, he thought it was the top of the mountain, but realised it was just a step along the way. Man, I’d be scared if I was playing at the PGA because Rory’s coming.”

Why Rory McIlroy believes he struggled on Saturday at the Truist Championship

It does appear that his struggles in the third round of the latest signature event can be dismissed as an anomaly.

Remarkably, it was one of the worst rounds of McIlroy’s entire PGA Tour career statistically.

McIlroy was the worst player in the field around the greens. He was not significantly better with his approach play either.

And Wagner explained what McIlroy put those struggles down to when they spoke after the third round.

“I will say about Rory, with him yesterday, Rory McIlroy kept missing his irons and wedges just horribly left. I talked to him after the round after doing the show when I got my leg in that pond, and Rory said the wind on the range was left to right all week long and he kept just his shoulders open and open. So I feel confident he’s going to fix that and I’m looking forward to watching him play next week too,” he said.

McIlroy looks to have found an ideal balance in his life. His second Masters win was partially inspired by the numerous trips he took to Augusta National in the weeks leading into the event.

Similarly, he has spent time at Aronimink. He viewed that as better preparation than playing in events such as the RBC Heritage and the Cadillac Championship.

McIlroy has been well and truly freed up by his 2025 Masters win. It may have taken longer to feel that way than some would have expected, but he is now looking determined to make up for lost time after going more than a decade without a major victory.