Star power McIlroy bring

Star power McIlroy bring

McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship last year, just before his 21st birthday. His final-round 62 was a course record. Now he’s back in Charlotte after shooting an 80 and blowing a four-shot lead during the final round at the Masters last month, a collapse some have compared to Greg Norman blowing a six-shot margin in 1996.

His week in Charlotte began Monday night with a soccer match that included several other golfers and PGA Tour caddies taking on a local team and losing by a score of 7-4. McIlroy said the golfers and caddies emerged without injury. McIlroy Brings Good Memories To Charlotte McIlroy's manager suffered a pulled hamstring, a circumstance the Irish golfer chuckled over while fielding questions about his mental state following the Masters debacle.Along with Martin Kaymer, the highest-ranked player in this week’s field at No. 2, McIlroy’s apperarance is a sign that tournament week is beginning to transition from the sleepy early-week start toward competition for the $6.5 million purse.Kaymer’s lone appearance in Charlotte came in 2009, when he tied for 11th place.At 26, Kaymer already has a major on his résumé (the 2010 PGA Championship) and was ranked No. 1 in the world earlier this year. (The current No. 1, Lee Westwood, isn’t playing at Quail Hollow this week.)“I wanted to come back last year (to Charlotte), but for some reason I didn’t,” he said. “It was two years ago when I came here. I really liked the golf course. It’s one of the best we play on the PGA Tour.”Praise for the Charlotte tournament and Quail Hollow Club have become par for the course during the event's nine-year run.For McIlroy, the familiar setting might also soothe any lingering remnants of his Augusta agony last month."I played nine holes yesterday and it's great to have some of the memories come back of last year," he said. "It's great to be back here and defend. It's one of the best courses we play all year, one of the best events. Just glad to be back here."