In golf, getting hot with the putter is one of the biggest momentum shifters and Rory McIlroy more than did the business with the flatstick at the Irish Open.
McIlroy won out by winning a playoff over three holes against Joakim Lagergren.
The playoff itself was forced as McIlroy rolled in a huge putt from around 20 feet to make a final hole eagle and send the Irish fans into a frenzy.
For McIlroy, seeing the putts drop will be a massive boost ahead of Wentworth and the Ryder Cup in the coming weeks.
And explaining just what’s behind the improvement of late, McIlroy revealed some changes to his routine when practicing has helped.
Rory McIlroy says why his putting has improved so much
The putt on 18 from McIlroy was really something special and to see and hear the noise and celebrations at the K Club was truly memorable.
McIlroy, of course, knew he had to deliver even more as the playoff loomed and deliver he did.
And speaking to the media after his win, McIlroy got onto just why his putting seems to be improving.
“Yeah, I finally found my range, around 30 feet, it looks like. Yeah, it’s been a great season putting-wise. I think I finished fourth in strokes gained putting on the PGA Tour, which is by far statistically the best I’ve ever done,” McIlroy admitted.
“I’ve worked with Brad Faxon now for the last 6 1/2 years, and I learned a few things, I think. Working with Fax has really helped, I think, the style of putter that I’ve gone, the Spider, the mallet-style putter definitely helps me in some of the strokes with the way I do, it helps me be a little more consistent.
“Then when I do work with Fax, we keep it very, very simple. There’s really only a couple of thoughts that — sometimes he’ll come over to The Bear’s Club or whatever, and it’s supposed to be for a putting lesson and we don’t even hit any putts. We’ll talk about putting. We’ll grab a coffee, talk about mindset, we’ll talk about routine, and that will be it.
“Sometimes I don’t even need to go and hit a putt. It’s just talking about it and just being in the right mindset. Like one of the best putts that I felt like I held today was the second putt on the second playoff hole, little slider, four feet left-to-right. That was a nice solid stroke, especially to get the ball in just before he hit his putt.
“So even just little things like that, under a little bit of pressure, being able to stick to your routine, making good strokes, I have been pleased with that part of my game this year.”
- READ MORE: Rory McIlroy says if he’s starting to feel like Scottie Scheffler as he wins again at the Irish Open
Rory McIlroy’s PGA Tour putting stats in 2025
Being a good putter makes a huge difference at any level of the game.
Whether it be an amateur going round a local parkland course or a professional like McIlroy looking to win a major, if the putter gets hot, it makes a huge difference.
Clearly, McIlroy is happy with his putting this year and in terms of his actual stats (PGA Tour only) they do show a good year.
| Figure | Position on PGA Tour | |
| Putts per round | 28.59 | 39th |
| One putt percentage | 43.4% | 8th |
| Total putting | 173.2 | 82nd |
| Strokes gained | 0.597 | 8th |
| Average distance of putts made | 78″ 3 | 12th |
As the numbers show and as McIlroy states himself, the putter has worked in 2025.
If he can keep on improving, then we’ve all seen how good he can be and it could be time for major number six in 2026.
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