Tiger Woods commits to the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide

  CHARLOTTE, N.C. – It doesn’t take much for Rory McIlroy to contend at the Wells Fargo Championship. Five swings on Wednesday evening did the trick this time. McIlroy, making his first start since a difficult defeat at the Masters, headed to the range after feeling rusty in Wednesday’s pro-am. A quick look at the TrackMan made him realize that his clubface was closed through impact. “It almost feels like I’m trying to hold the clubface square for longer,� McIlroy said. That swing thought worked Thursday. He shot a 3-under 68 that left him one shot off the lead after the morning wave. McIlroy, who’s making his eighth start of the season, is 32nd in the FedExCup after a win in March at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. He hit just four fairways Thursday but still gained strokes off the tee by averaging 325.4 yards on all tee shots. More importantly, he hit 14 greens. And the putting lesson with Brad Faxon is still paying dividends, as McIlroy gained +1.6 strokes on the greens. “I love this place,� said McIlroy, who turns 29 on Friday. “I feel like I don’t have to play that well and I can still get it around.� McIlroy has finished outside the top 10 just once in seven Wells Fargo starts, including two wins. He set a course record in each start, shooting a final-round 62 in 2010 and third-round 61 five years later. Jason Day was on the practice green in 2010 when he watched a frustrated McIlroy walk off the ninth green after making the cut on the number. Two days later, McIlroy was holding the trophy after making 17 birdies and an eagle on the weekend. “He’s explosive in that way,� Day said. “It’s very similar to what Tiger does. He’ll come to a course and he’ll like it so much that he’s very dominant on it. This is a driving golf course. If you’re a good driver, you get the opportunities. He hits it long and straight and obviously he’s putting better.� Quail Hollow lets McIlroy hit a lot of mid- and long-irons and swing aggressively off the tee. The towering trees that frame the fairways help him envision the proper shot. When asked if it reminded him of Augusta National, McIlroy laughed and said, “I’ve just won here a couple times. That’s about the difference.� Of course, McIlroy needs a Masters win to complete the career Grand Slam. This year’s edition was his closest call at Augusta National since he completed the other three legs. A third-round 65 put him in the final group with Patrick Reed, but even during that remarkable round McIlroy could tell his game was not in top shape. “I was sort of holding it together,� he said. And it fell apart under the Sunday pressure. He shot a final-round 74 to fall into fifth place. He spent the week after Augusta National binge-watching television shows (Billions), reading books (The Chimp Paradox, Essentialism) and drinking wine. “Erica had to drag me out of the house,� he said. “Once I got back in my routine, I was fine.� He confirmed that Thursday. He’s back to his old ways at the Wells Fargo Championship.  

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CHICAGO, Ill. – Rory McIlroy hired his best man for his bag. Jason Day has replaced his. Day has become the latest high profile player to change up his long-term caddie with news he will rest mentor and coach Colin Swatton from club carrying duties in favor of another close friend, Luke Reardon. While Swatton will remain Day’s coach, Reardon has been given the bag at Conway Farms this week for the BMW Championship where the 2015 champion will attempt to find his first win since the 2016 PLAYERS Championship. It is believed Day will trial the change for the rest of 2017. His season goes on the line this week as he sits 28th in the FedExCup and must perform to move on to the 30-man TOUR Championship. Day will then play The Presidents Cup before likely stops in Korea and China in the new 2017-18 season on his way to an Australian Open showdown with Jordan Spieth in November. It was just two years ago that Swatton and Day ascended to World No. 1 status for the first time with Day’s wire-to-wire win in Chicago. It was the culmination of a long journey which began at a golf academy in Australia when Day was just 12 years old and arrived to be taught by Swatton. Both had lost their fathers to cancer shortly before they met. Together they have claimed 10 PGA TOUR wins, including the 2015 PGA Championship and 2016 PLAYERS. From their early beginnings Swatton became a father figure to Day, eventually moving to the USA with him to pursue the dreams of professional golf as his coach and caddie. The pair have been virtually inseparable with Swatton the best man at Day’s wedding to wife Ellie among other major moments in his life. “I love them together,� Ellie said a year ago of the pair. “Anytime there has even been a minor thought they wouldn’t work together, I would have a heart attack and it stresses me out because I know how good they are for each other. “Jason’s path would have been totally different if he didn’t meet Col. Who knows if he hadn’t met him where he would be. Col is a massive reason he has made it this far, and just as importantly, kept going.� Reardon has a close connection to both men. He was also coached by Swatton at the academy in Queensland and was a roommate of Day’s. It was an early rising Reardon who opened Day’s eyes to the virtues of hard work. Once Day saw his friend getting up early to practice he vowed to get up earlier and work harder, an ethic that took him to the top of the world. Day is the third big name player to change caddies recently after Phil Mickelson split with Jim Mackay and Rory McIlroy moved on from J.P. Fitzgerald.

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India first-ever female pro golfer Simi Mehra speaks to ESPN about finding love, coming out, and the joy of giving.

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