McIlroy's press conference began with a warning that the World No.2 would not be answering questions related to his shock announcement on Tuesday that he was ending his seven-year marriage and had filed for divorce.

Upheaval off the course has had no impact on it as McIlroy blazed into Louisville riding the momentum from back-to-back wins that has made the Northern Irishman second favourite behind World No.1 and new dad Scottie Scheffler.

McIlroy tuned up for the year's second major, teaming up with Shane Lowry to win the Zurich Classic and then steamrolling to a five-shot victory over Olympic champion Xander Schauffele on Sunday to pick up his fourth career win at Quail Hollow.

"I feel good," said the four-time major winner.

"Game feels good coming off the back of two wins, a fun one in New Orleans with Shane (Lowry), and then a really good performance last week.

"Just trying to keep the momentum going.

"I think it's all about confidence and momentum, and I have a lot of confidence and quite a bit of momentum coming into this week."

Following his victory at the Wells Fargo on Sunday, McIlroy said it seemed like the stars were aligning for him to end a decade-long major drought which began with his win at the 2014 PGA Championship that was also played at this week's venue, the Valhalla Golf Club.

"I think this is a golf course that allows you to play with freedom because it's a big golf course," he said.

"The corridors are wide, not too dissimilar to last week at Quail Hollow, so you can open your shoulders up off the tee and try to take your chances from there."

Asked how he was holding up, McIlroy was unwilling to take the bait and open up about his divorce replying simply, "I'm ready to play this week."

McIlroy did, though, open up about the PGA's discussed merger with LIV Golf, saying that without Jimmy Dunne on the PGA Tour policy board, he felt any potential deal was moving in the wrong direction.

Dunne resigned his position on the policy board earlier this week, ending what he'd started as one of the original negotiators bridging communications between the rival golf circuits and helping finalise the "framework agreement" made public in June last year.

"Honestly I think it's a huge loss for the PGA Tour, if they are trying to get this deal done with the PIF (Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund) and trying to unify the game," McIlroy said.

– Steve Keating