McIlroy hopes for a Boston party

Boston, September 1: Rory McIlroy is winless this season but hopeful a return to a familiar stomping ground at this week's Dell Technologies Championship in Boston will provide him a springboard to another FedExCup playoffs title.

World number four McIlroy has been hit with injury this year and will be shutting things down in due course but could not resist defending his title at TPC Boston starting Friday (September 1) in the second of the PGA Tour's four lucrative playoff events.

"I'm a big believer that it is a little bit horses for courses like you hear, and Boston is definitely a track that sets up well for me," McIlroy said.

"I've been lucky enough to win at a couple of courses multiple times in my PGA Tour career, and I think just mentally you're just a lot more comfortable.

"You've hit great shots on that golf course before, you've shot low scores, and you've seen birdies out there. That's the thing - once you know you can make birdies on a golf course, it makes it easier to do that again."

Two weeks ago McIlroy cited spasms in a muscle in his upper back and said he was not sure when he would play next, going as far as to say it might not be until next year.

After last year's win in Boston, the Northern Irishman went on to clinch the $10 million bonus as he topped the standings after winning the season-ending Tour Championship.

"I sort of find myself in a similar position this week as I was last year, needing a good week to sort of kick-start the next few weeks," said McIlroy.

"Hopefully I can find that little spark that I found last year and go on and play well from here until the Tour Championship."