McIlroy mentally, emotionally fresh in playoffs

• By Rex Hoggard
• Aug 30, 2012 12:37 PM ET

NORTON, Mass. – Two years ago an exhausted Rory McIlroy gave up his PGA Tour membership because, at least in part, of the circuit’s condensed late-season schedule, which includes six marquee events in nine weeks.

When the Northern Irishman decided to take up Tour membership again this year he did so with a plan to limit his early-season schedule and avoid playing more than three weeks in a row.

With only one exception, McIlroy’s plan has worked.

“I feel like I’ve paced myself a lot better this year and that’s why I feel like I’m playing good golf at this time of the year,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy added the FedEx St. Jude Classic to his schedule when his form faltered midway through the summer which resulted in his only four-event run of the year and the Deutsche Bank will be his 17^th worldwide start this season.

“Physically it’s fine,” he said. “You can play golf and travel and everything. But mentally and emotionally is where you get fatigued. That’s something you just have to be careful of.”

McIlroy did enjoy a break of sorts this week. After finishing tied for 24^th at The Barclays, he spent the last two days at the U.S. Open in New York City with girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki before heading to Boston.