Rory McIlroy, a 14/1 shot for the title, admits he is getting better and better as he prepares to take on an open field in this week’s USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

The Northern Irishman, who won the Quail Hollow Championship earlier this year – his first PGA Tour win, is in good form and is expected to benefit from the fact that the Wisconsin course bares several similarities with the familiar Royal Portrush venue on which he honed his skills as a teenager.

The 21-year-old admits patience is the name of the game for him in the tournament but is confident he is improving all the time as he has an eye on sealing his place among the elite with a maiden major victory this weekend.

“You’ve got to be really patient in this game and I realise that,” he said in a pre-USPGA press conference.

“Sometimes it is hard for me to accept that you’re not going to have a good day all the time. I think that’s something that I’m still learning how to do.

“But that all just comes through experience and I feel as if I’m getting better at it.”

McIlroy is joint third favourite for the title with Padraig Harrington also at 16/1. Phil Mickelson is the current 12/1 favourite with out-of-form Tiger Woods on offer at 14/1.