Rory McIlroy cracks underrated Scottie Scheffler joke

Rory McIlroy joked he finally understands how Scottie Scheffler feels after he put together back-to-back rounds without a bogey at the Wells Fargo Championship. 

McIlroy, 35, shrugged off PGA Tour boardroom drama to put in a fine performance over 54 holes at Quail Hollow Club. 

With 18 holes left to play, he trailed Xander Schauffele by one stroke. 

Should McIlroy win the signature event, it would be the fourth time he has won the Wells Fargo Championship. 

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And even though McIlroy was pleased with his performance so far, he couldn't help but think about the world number one. 

"I now know what Scottie Scheffler feels like," joked the Northern Irishman, paying tribute to his victories at the 2024 Players, Masters, RBC Heritage and Arnold Palmer Invitational. 

A short time after McIlroy made the remark, it was confirmed the world number one will tee it up at the PGA Championship next week. 

His wife Meredith has given birth to their first child, according to Sports Illustrated. 

No further details have been released but should McIlroy break his major duck at Valhalla with Scheffler in the field it will no doubt make the victory even sweeter. 

To claim victory McIlroy will need to drive the ball much better. 

This week, it has been superb and after 54 holes he led the field in strokes gained off the tee.

A reporter put it to McIlroy whether this was a result of the work he did with Butch Harmon before the first major of the year. 

"No," McIlroy said. "I would say that's a direct result of some of the feelings I got in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago. 

"A lot of the stuff Butch and I worked on was more like iron play and wedges. The driving is more just me committing to most of the time hitting that little cut that I've been hitting off the tee, and then having the freedom to just, every time I hit a good tee shot, the more confidence I get and then the more I want to just keep hitting it."

McIlroy's last victory at the Wells Fargo Championship came on this day three years ago. 

The Ulsterman ended a 553-day winless streak with a one-shot victory. 

His caddie Harry Diamond, memorably, stepped in to implore McIlroy to take a drop on the 72nd hole when he clearly wanted to attempt to gauge his TP5x out of the thick rough with water trouble looming. 

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