McIlroy preaching patience ahead of Grand Slam bid at Masters

Rory McIlroy will make his 10th attempt at completing a career Grand Slam this week at the Masters where the Northern Irishman promises to take a more patient approach on a course where an aggressive strategy has cost him dearly.

McIlroy was only on the Augusta National Golf Club property for 30 minutes on Tuesday before meeting reporters where he was asked how he can keep his burning desire to win a Masters from becoming so big it becomes an obstacle.

“I would say not trying to win it from the first tee shot. I think that's something that I've tried to learn. It's a 72-hole golf tournament,” McIlroy said.

“This golf course gets you to chase things a little more than other golf courses, if you make a bogey or if you get yourself out of position, because it always tempts you to do something you think you can do.

“And I'm pretty confident in my golf game. I think I can do most things, but sometimes you just have to take the conservative route and be a little more disciplined and patient.”

Should McIlroy need further proof the Masters is not won or lost on the first hole, he need only look back to last year when Jon Rahm four-putted his opening hole for a double-bogey but still went on to slip into a Green Jacket.

McIlroy has a game tailor-made for Augusta National given his long drives and right-to-left tee shots that allow him to take advantage of the par-fives and he has been in contention many times but seems to be hampered by one poor round each week.

In 2011, McIlroy began the final round with a four-shot lead but endured a harrowing back-nine collapse, starting with a triple-bogey at the 10th before closing with an eight-over 80 to finish in a tie for 15th.

The pressure of a Grand Slam pursuit has been following McIlroy around since he won the 2014 British Open, a victory that gave him three of the four major championships.

But the 34-year-old Northern Irishman, who this week will make his 16th Masters appearance, feels a busier schedule this year has allowed him to be more in tune with where his game is and how to manage it better.

“Thankfully, I've improved a bit since my first start here, and I feel like I've got all the tools to do well this week,” said McIlroy, who played two practice rounds at Augusta National early last week.

“But, again, to bring those tools out, I think one of the most important things is to enjoy it and smell the — I guess not the roses, the azaleas along the way.”

Should McIlroy slip into a Green Jacket this year, he would become only the sixth man to win all four of golf's blue riband events, joining Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen.

Among those who fully believe McIlroy will one day join the exclusive club of Grand Slam winners is five-time Masters champion Woods.

“Rory will be a great Masters champion one day, and it could be this week,” Woods said earlier on Tuesday.”

“I think that just the talent he has, the way he plays game and the golf course fits his eye, it's just a matter of time.”

Among other favourites is Scottie Scheffler. With back-to-back wins at the Arnold Palmer and Players Championship and a runner-up finish at the Houston Open, Scheffler is hot favourite to slip into the Green Jacket on Sunday, which would add to his reputation as a golfing machine.

Brooks Koepka has a well-earned reputation as a big-game hunter in golf's elite competitions and he arrives at Augusta National seeking revenge a year after squandering a chance to slip into the Green Jacket worn by Masters champions.

During the final round of last year's tournament Koepka watched his two-shot lead evaporate after six holes and went on to finish runner-up, four strokes behind Jon Rahm.

A month later, an undeterred Koepka delivered a two-shot victory at the PGA Championship for his fifth major and in the process became the first active member of LIV Golf to win one of the sport's blue-riband events.

It has been nearly a half-century since a Masters debutant slipped on the Green Jacket but American veteran Wyndham Clark and Swedish young gun Ludvig Aberg could deliver a major surprise at Augusta National this week.

Not since Fuzzy Zoeller beat Ed Sneed and Tom Watson in a playoff to win the 1979 Masters has a rookie walked away with the coveted title.

But Clark and Aberg are not your typical Masters newcomers.

It may be Clark's first Masters but the 30-year-old sits a threatening number four on the world rankings and has a resume that includes a US Open title.

World number nine Aberg, just 24, is already a winner on the PGA and DP Tours and was a member of Europe's victorious Ryder Cup squad last year.

Reuters