McIlroy ready to return stronger than ever

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Bengaluru, October 9: After a below-par season that has seen him drop to sixth in the world rankings, former world No.1 Rory McIlroy has promised to return stronger than ever.

The Northern Ireland golfer's season has been blighted by injuries.

After winning the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup last year, McIlroy's campaign was stalled by two separate injury lay-offs and he signed off for the season in a tie for 63rd at the European Tour's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship yesterday (October 8).

The 28-year-old four-time major champion, who will now take a three-month winter break, said his first target would be to complete the career grand slam, which can be achieved next April at the US Masters.

"And then, try and become the best European golfer ever. Try and surpass (Briton) Nick Faldo (who won six majors) in that," McIlroy was quoted as saying in the British media.

"If I had a career goal, it would be to be the best international golfer ever. Gary Player has nine majors. I'd like to think I'm going to give myself a chance to get close to that tally," added the former world No.1.

McIlroy will look to use his time off the course to fully recover from rib and back injuries that plagued him all season.

"My last round of 2017 sort of summed up all of 2017. Not much happening, good or bad. Just sort of stuck in neutral," he said after signing for a level-par 72 at St Andrews.

"It hasn't been the year I wanted on the golf course. I started with grand ambitions of trying to add to my major tally and trying to win golf tournaments.

"I haven't won and the results haven't been what I wanted, but I feel like I can still salvage something from the rest of this year, even though I'm not playing. I've given myself an opportunity to put a lot of good foundations in place."

McIlroy last went winless in 2008, a year after he turned professional as an 18-year-old. However, he said he was a better player now than he was in 2011 and 2012, when he won majors.

"I feel like I can do better than that in the next 10 years. That's why I feel like these next three months are very important to put some really good things in place."