Rory McIlroy is hopeful that the continuation of some promising short game form and a chat with Jack Nicklaus will help him gain a second professional victory at the WGC-CA Championship.

The Titleist golf equipment user could only finish in a share of 40th spot on his latest start at the Honda Classic, but was not too despondent in the quality of his game, particularly around the greens.

Ahead of that event, McIlroy took advantage of the chance to spend 90 minutes in the company of Nicklaus and attempted to pick up some advice on how to help him get over the finishing line in tournaments more often.

According to the Associated Press, the Northern Irishman said: "It was great to sit down and talk to him and see his approach to winning and what went through his head whenever he was in contention.

"It was probably the best 90 minutes I've spent in a long time."

McIlroy is also looking forward to being paired with last year's WGC-CA Championship victor Phil Mickelson and Retief Goosen for the opening two rounds in Doral, Florida.

Mickelson, who plays with Callaway Big Bertha Diablo fairway woods, has been struggling so far in 2010 but picked up a one-stroke success over Nick Watney in Florida 12 months ago.

Meanwhile, Camilo Villegas arrives on the back of romping to a five-shot triumph in the Honda Classic and runner-up in that event Anthony Kim is another who will hope to be in contention at the head of the leaderboard.

Nike Victory Red STR8-Fit Tour golf driver user Paul Casey is also sure to challenge, having reeled off successive top-ten finishes in his last three tournaments.

He finished in a share of fourth alongside Vijay Singh at the Honda Classic, but is not of the mindset that his recent clutch of promising results leaves him deserving of a first victory since the BMW PGA Championship last May.

Casey said: "It's not a case of being due. There are lots of guys out here who are due a win.

"For me, it's doing what I did last week and giving myself an opportunity. If I've got an opportunity on Sunday, I'll be very, very happy but there's a long way to go."

Although many of the game's top players will be present at the WGC-CA Championship, some of the lesser stars will be heading to Puerto Rico for another PGA Tour event.

Michael Bradley returns as the defending champion, but he will still face some stiff competition from a 132-man field that also includes Kevin Stadler, Rory Sabbatini and Jeev Milkha Singh.

South African Sabbatini is the best golfer in the Puerto Rico Open line-up based on being positioned 55th in the world rankings, while Stadler has accrued two top-ten finishes in five PGA Tour events this season.

Alex Prugh has finished in the money in all of his six tournaments this year to show that he is striking his golf ball well.

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