Rory McIlroy: "What I've learnt this year is that if you.."

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Rory McIlroy is optimistic ahead of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. McIlroy spoke at the press conference about his season and is satisfied with the progress he has made. "I think the stats would suggest that I am [having the best year]," McIlroy told Sky Sports News.

"If you're purely looking at numbers and you're looking at strokes gained statistics, it's very close to the best golf that I've played for a calendar year. When you look purely into the numbers and you look at the numbers that I put up in the majors this year, there would be other years with those strokes gained numbers where I would have won two majors.

It just is what it is." Rory McIlroy has vast experience on the golf scene. It was this experience that taught him some things. "My performances in the majors this year were very good in 2014 but I got hot for a couple of them and obviously went on to win.

Everyone's going to remember you winning championships and lifting trophies and that you've gained over three [strokes] on the field at a major championship. Consistently what I've learnt this year is that if you keep putting yourself in a position to win golf tournaments then you're going to win some that you probably shouldn't, like the FedExCup a few weeks ago, then you're going to lose some that you should win like here in July.

If you keep putting yourself in those positions over and over again, the law of averages suggest you're going to win your fair share. I feel like over the course of my career I certainly feel like I've won my fair share of golf tournaments."

Alfred Dunhill

The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is a place for which McIlroy has only fond memories.

"I've had so many great memories here over the years. It's the place where I got my [DP World] Tour card, I've played two Open Championships here and played great in both of them. I've had so many great memories with my dad playing the Dunhill [Alfred Dunhill Links Championship], so all those memories far outweigh what happened in July.

I wish things would have worked out differently but a t the same time St Andrews means a lot more to me than just trying to win a Claret Jug here."