Rory McIlroy plans to hit ball harder at Wells Fargo Championship

World No 1 concedes he has not been aggressive enough on the course, which explains his recent struggles.

Rory McIlroy wants to be more aggressive on the golf course. Richard Heathcote / AFP

World No 1 Rory McIlroy will take an aggressive approach on the greens as he looks to find his putting touch in the Wells Fargo Championship this week.

McIlroy finished eighth in the Players Championship at Sawgrass on Sunday after struggling to convert his excellent play from tee to green into enough birdies to challenge for the title.

But the four-time major winner will be boosted by his impressive record at Quail Hollow as he seeks an 11th PGA Tour title, the Northern Irishman having claimed his first victory on US soil there in 2010 thanks to a final round of 62.

“I’m really happy with where everything is from tee to green,” said McIlroy, who has recorded four top-10 finishes in his five appearances in the event. “So more of the same with that and just hole a few more putts.”

“I felt the ones that had a chance weren’t quite rolling past the hole,” he said in reference to his putting at Sawgrass. “They were just getting to the hole and sort of dying away.

“I was maybe just hitting putts a little too soft at times. I’ll try to get the speed a bit better and be a bit more aggressive on the greens and hopefully that will make a difference.”

McIlroy, 26, is favourite for the title, with last year’s winner JB Holmes hoping to also be in contention.

The American, 33, can boast two second places and a victory in the Houston Open already this season.

Holmes underwent brain surgery in September 2011 and claimed his first PGA Tour title since 2008 when he held off a charge from Jim Furyk in the final round at Quail Hollow 12 months ago.

“It was a great moment,” Holmes said. “I had a lot of hard work to get to there. It was more about not necessarily just that moment and the win, it was more about the collective and all the stuff I had gone through to get there.

“I dwelled more on that stuff and old, hard work I put in more than just that moment of actually winning, but it was a great accomplishment and a lot of fun.”

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE