The North Irishman won his first title in Orlando on Sunday after eighteen months of famine. Tiger Woods confirms his return to the fore by finishing 5e, a week after her 2e place at the Valspar Championship.

 

Rory McIlroy - Photo: © F.FROGER / 3Ds

"An almost perfect lap," said the winner of the day. It is by returning a last card of 64 (-8) that Rory McIlroy preceded yesterday, during the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a bunch of big names. In order: Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, as well as a certain Tiger Woods. Troubling coincidence, the four-time Major winner's last PGA Tour victory was on September 25, 2016… the day Arnold Palmer died.

 

"The circle has sort of come full circle since that sad day in September 2016," declared the player, who now holds 14 titles on the American circuit. An unpredictable outcome when we remember that the Northern Irishman had largely missed the cut the previous week at Vaslpar. It must be said that McIlroy's game is akin to roller coasters at the moment, just like his start of the year: cut missed at Peeble Beach, just after a 3eplace in Abu Dhabi and a 2e place in Dubai… “You don't have to go with me, if you don't want to,” even joked the player at a press conference.

 

For his part, Tiger Woods confirmed his comeback in great form by finishing once again at the top of the leaderboard, encouraged by a huge crowd. "The fans gave me so much adrenaline," said the Tiger as he left hole 18. If I can play without pain, I will have to be counted on for the next tournaments. "

 

With early season wins for Dustin Johnson at Kapalua, Jon Rahm at the Quinta, Jason Day at Torrey Pines, Bubba Watson at Pacific Palisades, Justin Thomas at the Honda Classic and Phil Mickelson at the World Championships in Mexico City, all the big names world golfers - aside from Jordan Spieth - appear to be in great shape. Enough to make the Augusta Masters, which begins in two and a half weeks, as unpredictable as it is exciting ...

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