Fresh off two MCs, McIlroy hopes history repeats itself

• By Ryan Ballengee
• May 30, 2012 3:46 PM ET

DUBLIN, Ohio – For the first time since 2010, Rory McIlroy has missed consecutive cuts. But if history repeats itself, things are looking up for McIlroy.

"I went on to win the next week at Quail Hollow," McIlroy said, recalling two years ago when he captured his first PGA Tour title at the Wells Fargo Championship after making the cut on the number. 

The reigning U.S. Open champion hopes to similarly break out of his current funk at Muirfield Village this week.

"I'd love to be able to get it in good shape after this week and come out of this week after working hard and say, you know what, I've really made progress this week, let's try and make a little bit more next week in Memphis and feel really good and ready for the U.S. Open," he said. 

Needing more starts, McIlroy has added the Memphis event to his pre-Open docket. 

"These two‑day weeks aren't really that good for me," he said, drawing laughter, "so I just want to get some competitive rounds in. I'm working on a few things, and I feel trying to put them into competition will be the best way for me to prepare going into the U.S. Open."

McIlroy flew instructor Michael Bannon in for a second consecutive week of work together. With McIlroy traveling the world and being based out of Florida, there has been an abnormal lack of time spent together.

"Whenever I worked with him back home (in Northern Ireland), we'd work for three or four mornings a week for three or four hours, and that's something we really haven't had this year, to be honest," he said.

After reviewing some tape of his swings in recent weeks, McIlroy hopes to correct some things.

"We've identified what (the problem) is," he said, "and it's just a matter of putting in the time on the range and trying to tease it back into the positions that I want (my swing) to be."