PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Rory McIlroy won two major championships at age 23. He was the youngest player since Tiger Woods to reach No. 1 in the world. He was won the money titles on the PGA Tour and European Tour in the same season.

Now if he can just break par on the TPC at Sawgrass. Or at least make it to the weekend.

McIlroy keeps showing signs that his game his emerging from an early season slump. His next stop is Thursday in The Players Championship, a tournament that hasn’t been kind to him in his three previous trips.

He has missed the cut every time, never posting a score better than 72.

Upon leaving last year, he said his career was young and he would have another 20 years.