Rory McIlroy ahead of PGA Championship: "I still feel like I want to cry"

Rory McIlroy says he still feels like he wants to cry after completing the career grand slam at the 2025 Masters. 

Despite Bryson DeChambeau's recent LIV victory and Scottie Scheffler's return to the winner's circle on the PGA Tour, it is Rory mania ahead of the PGA Championship. 

McIlroy is attempting to become the first golfer since Jordan Spieth in 2015 to win the first two majors of the calendar year.

Such a prospect seems all the more likely given McIlroy's triumph at Augusta National coupled with the fact this week's venue - Quail Hollow Club - has played host to four of the Northern Irishman's victories. 

"I'm just the same person," McIlroy told reporters on Wednesday. 

"I turn up and try to have the same attitude and the same approach to each and every tournament and try to get the best out of myself. 

"Some weeks that results in wins, and some weeks it doesn't.

"As long as I approach every week that way, all I can do is go out there and try to play the golf that I know that I'm capable of. 

"As I said, some weeks someone just plays better than you, and other weeks it's your time."

McIlroy fell to the floor when after he rolled in a short putt in a sudden-death playoff to defeat Justin Rose at The Masters. 

He sobbed into the arms of his childhood friend and caddie Harry Diamond before hugging his wife Erica and daughter Poppy. 

McIlroy said he has tried not to watch the moment back. 

"I've talked about this before, but I think when I rewatch a lot of things back, I then just remember of the visuals of the TV rather than what I was feeling and what I was seeing through my own eyes, so I haven't tried to watch it back too much," he said. 

"But anytime I have, I well up. I still feel like I want to cry.

"Yeah, it was an involuntary -- I've never felt a release like that before, and I might never feel a release like that again. 

"That could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and it was a very cool moment."

"I don't know what he was expecting"

The aforementioned DeChambeau has welcomed the prospect of another major dust-up with McIlroy. 

DeChambeau - who revealed he was forced to skip a recent Team USA Ryder Cup dinner - played in the final group alongside McIlroy at Augusta. 

We did not get a repeat of the fireworks of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No.2. 

DeChambeau's race was run after he dunked his ball in the water at Augusta's par-4 11th. 

The American later made the headlines when he revealed McIlroy did not speak to him once all day. 

McIlroy's psychologist, Dr Bob Rotella, later said that was always part of the game plan. 

"I don't know what he was expecting," McIlroy said. 

"We're trying to win The Masters. I'm not going to try to be his best mate out there."

He added: "Look, everyone approaches the game different ways. Yeah, like I was focused on myself and what I needed to do. 

"That's really all that it was. It wasn't anything against him or against -- it's just I felt that's what I needed to do to try to get the best out of myself that day."

McIlroy to play in marquee group

McIlroy will play alongside Scheffler and defending champion Xander Schauffele in the first two rounds of the PGA Championship. 

The trio have been handed a 13:22 BST (08.22 local time) tee time on Thursday. 

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