FLOURTOWN, Pa. – After trips to London and Northern Ireland and New York, all to celebrate the biggest win of his career, Rory McIlroy admitted that he was still trying to find his game when he arrived at Philadelphia Cricket Club.

Halfway through the Truist Championship, though, he’s also found himself in contention. McIlroy is in fourth place after shooting 66-67 over the tournament’s opening two rounds, five strokes behind 36-hole leader Keith Mitchell after a rainy Friday outside Philadelphia.

That McIlroy is within reach of the lead on a week when his ball-striking has not been its best is a testament to the well-rounded player he has become. He made six birdies and three bogeys Friday in a round that he described as “another scrappy one.”

He ranks near the bottom of the pack in both Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green and Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green this week, but has been able to lean on both the longest and shortest club in his bag. McIlroy’s driver has been an asset throughout his career, and that has continued this week as he leads the field in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. He also ranks in the top five in Strokes Gained: Putting and leads the field in Feet of Putts Made.

“Even when I feel like I haven't played my best, I find a way,” McIlroy said. “I think that's when I talk about being a more complete golfer, if one part of my game isn't on, then I can maybe lean into another part, … like … today holing quite a few putts and making my score that way rather than hitting the ball unbelievably well.

“I think that's been a big key to this consistent run is not having to rely too much on any one aspect of the game.”

The Truist marks McIlroy’s first individual start since winning the Masters nearly a month ago. He headed home to Northern Ireland afterward for an understated celebration with the people closest to him, then paired with Shane Lowry to defend their title in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (the duo finished T12). McIlroy’s longtime swing coach, Michael Bannon, visited him in Florida early last week, but that was followed by a media tour in New York City.

“That period is sort of behind me,” McIlroy said, “and I'm looking forward to the next few months.”

McIlroy’s season already is historic thanks to the Masters win that allowed him to complete the career Grand Slam. It could become the best campaign of his career. Victories at a Signature Event, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and his second PLAYERS title preceded his win at Augusta National. He also is atop the FedExCup standings, leading Scottie Scheffler by more than 500 points (and that advantage will only grow with Scheffler at home after winning last week’s THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson).

Next week, the year’s second major will be played at Quail Hollow Club. That is where McIlroy has won all four of his Truist Championship titles, including his first PGA TOUR victory in 2010 and last year’s edition of the championship. Then comes the U.S. Open, which McIlroy has finished second in each of the past two years. And The Open Championship will be played in his native Northern Ireland at Royal Portrush.

The last time The Open visited that venue, McIlroy was brought to tears after narrowly missing the cut. He also is in position to become the first four-time winner of the FedExCup, and then will be focused on trying to win a Ryder Cup on U.S. soil for Team Europe for the first time since 2012.

McIlroy also is the frontrunner to win the PGA TOUR’s Player of the Year Award for the first time since 2019. He already has three wins this season and no one else has won more than once.

A victory this week would only extend his advantage. McIlroy said he will need to eliminate the “uncharacteristic mistakes” to do that, though. He has hit little more than half his fairways (15 of 28) and, though he’s hit 75% of his greens this week, that only ranks in the middle of the pack at a short, and soft, Philadelphia Cricket Club.

He holed four putts outside 10 feet Friday, including two from outside 25 feet, but he also three-putted his second hole of the day from 35 feet and made another bogey after dumping a 56-yard approach into a greenside bunker.

Friday’s three-putt was his second of the week, and he also bogeyed a par-5, the 15th hole, on Thursday after being greenside in two shots.

“I made what I feel are some uncharacteristic mistakes compared to how I've played the majority of the year,” he said. “So just got to try to iron that out over the next couple of days, try to shoot a couple of scores without as many bogeys on the card.”