Rory McIlroy aims to eliminate the 'big numbers'

Dubai: Three double bogeys, one triple bogey.

Those were the unwanted numbers on world No 2 Rory McIlroy’s scorecards at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week, where he still managed to finish tied 14th.

"Obviously made some big numbers which kept me from being right in contention on Sunday, but I feel like there's enough good in there to be encouraged going into this week,” the Northern Irishman said ahead of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera this week.

McIlroy will be making his second US tour start of the season and will be hoping to win his first at the historic Riviera Country Club course in Pacific Palisades that is celebrating its centenary this year.

"I think I'm just sort of working through that first little bit of the year where you're trying to shake a little bit of rust off and you're trying to find your footing a little bit and where your game is," McIlroy said Wednesday. "Felt like I learned quite a bit about my game last week, played well for a lot of it.

"Obviously (Riviera) presents a different challenge in itself, but I think the fact that I'm hitting a lot of good shots and hitting it close and converting a lot of putts, that has to give me confidence for not just this week but going forward."

McIlroy tees off alongside Pebble Beach winner American Colin Morikawa and England’s Tommy Fleetwood.