• PGA Tour

McIlroy confident Woods will win another major

Rory McIlroy believes Tiger Woods's game is back in good shape © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Woods credits good fortune for breaking m barrier
  
• Profile: Rory McIlroy | Tiger Woods

Rory McIlroy has seen enough from Tiger Woods in recent weeks to believe the American will win at least one more major before the end of his career.

Woods has enjoyed something of a renaissance in 2012, winning three times on the PGA Tour after enduring a season to forget in 2011. But he has not achieved his primary aim of winning a major - something McIlroy managed at the recent US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island.

That was the Northern Irishman's second such title in little over 12 months, whereas Woods has gone more than four years without a major title. Nevertheless, having been paired with Woods on a number of occasions this year, McIlroy believes the man who currently sits third in the FedEx Cup rankings is playing well enough to win again.

"Yeah, for sure," McIlroy said, when asked if he thought Woods would win another major.

"I said it at the start of the year. I played with him in our first event of the year in Abu Dhabi, and I thought he played really, really well. He got himself in contention. He didn't quite win, but after seeing the performance there, I expected some great things from him this year, and obviously he's won three times, and he's played well.

"He's had his chances in the majors going into the weekends, and it just hasn't quite happened for him. But for sure he's going to keep putting himself up there in positions, and he's going to have a lot of chances to win tournaments and majors."

McIlroy is paired with Woods for the opening two rounds of this week's BMW Championship, for the second time in as many weeks. Some players find themselves distracted by the circus that surrounds Woods, but McIlroy says he is unaffected.

"I think it definitely creates some more interest for the fans and for golf in general," he said. "I don't see any challenge in it. I mean, I think it's just good fun.

"It's good fun to be out there and have such an atmosphere and such a buzz around a grouping like that, and it's just nice to be a part of."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.