How Far Did Rory McIlroy Move in the Right Direction at 2013 PGA Championship?

A year ago, Rory McIlroy was wrapping up a tremendous victory in the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island in South Carolina. McIlroy shot a 13-under 275 and brought home $1.445 million in addition to the classic Wanamaker Trophy (which bares some resemblance to a miniature Stanley Cup).

This year, McIlroy finished in a tie for eighth with a three-under 277. So, after finishing first a year ago, McIlroy is probably pretty depressed with his showing this year, right?

If that's your belief, you haven't been paying attention. McIlroy is not necessarily celebrating, but he knows his performance in the PGA was his best showing in months.

The 2013 golf season has been a long walk in the desert for the former world No. 1. His worst showing came in late July when he bombed out of the British Open, failing to make the cut after two horrible rounds.

McIlroy was playing badly before the debacle at Muirfield, but that performance was shockingly bad.

Because McIlroy is an affable 24-year-old lad, several golfing legends did not hesitate to offer him unsolicited advice.

Nick Faldo, whom Jim Nantz insists on introducing as "Sir Nick" every time he analyzes golf for CBS, told McIlroy that he needs to give his golf game full concentration and not worry about business or girlfriends.

Hall of Famer Gary Player went even further, telling McIlroy he should marry a woman similar to the one he married many years ago.

Faldo and Player both have plenty of qualifications for giving out golf advice. However, neither man should give out life advice.

McIlroy took one week off after the British Open before competing in the Bridgestone Invitational and finishing tied for 27th with a two-over 282. While that is not overly impressive, he did not have a round above 72.

In the PGA Championship, McIlroy shot a 69 in the opening round, and that served notice that McIlroy had at least steadied himself to a degree. He followed with rounds of 71, 67 and 70.

In the closing round, McIlroy had a moment where he could have gone down the tubes, as he had a triple-bogey seven on the fifth hole. But he didn't have another bogey until the 16th hole.

McIlroy held it together because he knew the triple was largely the result of bad golfing luck. His second shot on the par-four hit the green, but it rolled onto the rocks, and he was forced to take a penalty.

''I hit a good shot,'' McIlroy told the Associated Press (via Yahoo! Sports). ''I did exactly what I wanted to do, but it was in the exact wrong place. But everything else feels pretty good."

After his humiliation at the British Open, McIlroy has had eight consecutive solid rounds.

It's not a huge accomplishment for the 2012 Player of the Year, but it is a small step in the right direction. And it's with small steps he will have a chance to get back to the golf mountaintop.

McIlroy told the Associated Press (via Yahoo! Sports).