Rory McIlroy explains why he's ready to overhaul his par five strategy in search of success

Rory McIlroy heads into the final round of the first FedEx Cup play-off event, The Northern Trust, hoping a new strategy can improve his fortunes at Liberty National.

oday’s fourth round was pushed back by a day due to the impact of tropical storm Henri on New Jersey, with McIlroy entering the final day 10 shots back of leaders Cameron Smith and World No.1 Jon Rahm.

While the win is almost certainly beyond him, barring a round that would probably have to better Smith’s incredible 11-under 60 on Saturday, there is still plenty at stake for McIlroy.

While his place at next week’s second FedEx Cup play-off event, the BMW Championship, is already secure, currently the Holywood man is projected to drop to 29th in the order of merit standings, and he will be keenly aware that only the top-30 progress to the season-ending Tour Championship the following week.

Therefore, a good final round at Liberty National today would go a long way to helping McIlroy solidify his place in that top-30, and the 32-year-old is hoping that a fresh approach on the par-fives will help him improve his scoring.

According to PGA Tour statistics, McIlroy has birdied 52.8 per cent of his par-fives this season, which is seventh on Tour, however he ranks tied-38th in par-five scoring, which reflects the number of bogeys he has been making on the longest holes at each tournament.

It has been the same at Liberty National, where the World No.13 has picked up two birdies, two bogeys and five pars on the par-fives while, by comparison, joint leader Rahm is five-under on the same holes.

“Play (the par-fives) a bit better and the score all of a sudden goes from, whatever I’m at, six-under, to double digits, at least, and you’re in the golf tournament,” pointed out McIlroy himself.

“I’m going to lay up on par-fives. I think I do better when I lay up on par-fives. Every time I try and go for one, I make, at best, a par.

“I did this in 2014 a lot. I put it in position on the fairway and I’d be thinking three, and I’d make five or six. I feel like I’m sort of doing that again. So it’s almost like just don’t be too greedy, play for your four.

“The thing is, as well, with how some of the green complexes are on par-fives, especially, because it’s a par-five green, you miss it on the wrong side and it’s just really tough.”

As for his overall performance, McIlroy hasn’t been all that disappointed with how he has been playing, it’s just keeping those costly bogeys — seven of them and a triple on Friday, to be precise — off the scorecard.

“Just a few too many mistakes,” McIlroy admitted on why he’s not closer to the top of the leaderboard. “That’s really the difference. I’ve putted well the last couple of days and I made enough birdies. I think I’ve made 16 birdies for the week.”

Ireland’s Shane Lowry is currently projected to jump up to 38th in the FedEx Cup standings as he sits in a tie for sixth at 13-under after a 62 on Saturday, three back of Smith and Rahm, and while he too is guaranteed to be at the BMW Championship next week, he will hope to push into the top-five to further boost his chances of earning a place in the field at East Lake in two weeks’ time.

Australian Smith almost broke the 60 barrier on Saturday, instead settling for ‘just’ a 60 to draw level with Rahm at the top of the standings at 16-under, with South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen one shot adrift.