Rory McIlroy prepares to take on the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, hoping to join an elite group of golfers. If he does, he will join an elite club of just six other players. They have all accomplished the feat of winning the Masters, U.S. Open, PGA Championship and Open Championship. This year is McIlroy’s eleventh shot at finally earning the tournament’s prized green jacket after near misses in previous years’ tournaments.
Since 2015, McIlroy has posted 21 top-10s in the big four—more than any other player over that span. His record-breaking, repeatable results undoubtedly make him a likely strong contender for the 2023 season. Last year, he had a record-setting opportunity to repeat his victory and take home the Claret Jug once more. This new experience came at the recent 150th Open Championship on the legendary Old Course in beautiful St. Andrews, Scotland. He ultimately fell short.
While No. 104 showed these vulnerability from McIlroy HERE, it seems breeding confidence mixed with game-looking threat at Augusta National. His performance at the 2022 Masters, where he tied for fourth, seemed to alleviate some of the pressure he felt while playing at this storied venue. In 2018, McIlroy experienced the same heartbreak with a 2-over 74 in the final round playing with eventual winner Patrick Reed.
Fate has thrown up a tantalising narrative for McIlroy in this year’s Masters. He built incredible momentum coming into the tournament, winning two events in a row for the first time in his career. His personal wins so far this season are the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February and last month’s Players Championship. After going through all of these successes, he is now wanting to go on from a major victory for an almost nine year major victory drought. His most recent triumph was the 2014 PGA Championship in Valhalla, Kentucky. If he wins at Augusta this weekend, it will be 3,899 days since that last major championship.
Though his heighten expectations, McIlroy has continued his regimen of preparation for the Masters. He told us, “I really have to approach this tournament like every other tournament that I play the rest of the year. This mentality is indicative of his promise to not let the pressures of the competition get to him.
The golfer hit balls at Augusta National on March 24th and again a week later. This helped him become familiar with the course layout, which he says is key for his success.
Phil Mickelson weighed in on McIlroy’s capabilities, stating, “I think he drives the ball so long and straight that he has a huge advantage on that golf course.” This shrewd observation underscores McIlroy’s many strengths as a player. It hints at his ability to otherwise master the devilish course design of Augusta National.
McIlroy has had one of the best major careers in recent times. His prior experiences at Augusta have hugely informed the way he’s gone about attacking the tournament. As I read his book, I felt that the true spirit of resilience defined his career. That’s life! You pick yourself up and get back to work, he once stated, emphasizing the positive persistence he’s always had in recovering from defeats.
McIlroy is looking forward to getting back into a competitive environment this week. He has placed top five in eight of his last eleven worldwide starts, proving that he’s in fine form and set to tackle whatever challenges await him. Both supporters and critics alike are intently observing. They just might be rooting for him to put on that elusive green jacket this year!
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