Jason Day has challenged Rory McIlroy to fulfil his potential and start to remind everyone again of Tiger Woods.
McIlroy made his seasonal bow in the US this week at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am with his Australian rival Day wondering whether he can relaunch his career and begin to emulate the greatest player of the age.
"I think the biggest thing for Rory is how, like the desire part, how much do you really want it because he has the tools to be kind of Tigeresque," Day said.
"Tiger is Tiger, but to be in the same sentence as Tiger is pretty unique and special to be able to say that. And I think Rory has the ability to go out there and win more majors than he has right now and I'm sure that's what he wants to do."
McIlroy is stuck on four majors having not won one of the big four in the last three campaigns. Yet the 28-year-old's priority is clearly to end his winning drought in regular events.
He came painfully close to breaking his 16-month trophyless run with a third in Abu Dhabi and a second in Dubai last month. And though still hurting from conceding the Desert Classic to China's Haotong Li when holding a two-shot lead with eight to play, he is determined not to let it drag him down after his four-month break to recuperate from a rib injury at the end of 2017.
"I had two chances to win tournaments in my Middle East swing and didn't," he said. "I should have won Dubai - I let that tournament slip. But they were great building blocks and I don't dwell on it. I'm using them as two great confidence builders."..