The Masters… the final piece in the grand slam puzzle for Rory McIlroy. And 2018 will see the Northern Irishman change his approach in the search for glory.
McIlroy, who joins Jon Rahm and Adam Scott in Thursday’s third last pairing, is ready to change his plan after falling off the pace last year.
The 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational winner was seven shots behind last year’s early leader Charley Hoffman through 18 holes, after employing a more conservative approach.
‘Sometimes you plod away and you make your pars and you think you’re doing okay, but you look at the board and you might be seven or eight back; someone’s got off to a hot start,’ said McIlroy.
‘You don’t want to put too much pressure on yourself to start off fast, but you want to be there or thereabouts after the first couple of days.
‘So I have gotten in my way before, but I think because I’m a little more comfortable on the golf course and comfortable in my game. I don’t think that will happen this week.’
McIlroy is one of three chasing the career slam this year with Phil Mickelson (US Open) and Jordan Spieth (PGA Championship) vying to join the elite club of five ― Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tiger Woods ― who have all four Majors in their possession.
That feat is not lost on the 28-year-old, who believes focus on every shot, every birdie chance, every five footer and every par save will matter when it comes to tallying up the strokes late on Sunday.
‘You might hit two great shots into 11 and miss the putt, but you walk away with a four thinking that’s still okay,’ McIlroy said. ‘But at the end of the day, you had a realistic chance for birdie on a hole where you could gain a shot and a half on the field.
‘I just have to keep reminding myself of that when the tournament starts.’
McIlroy’s record at The Masters has drifted somewhat after his failure to close out the 2011 edition won by South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel.
Then aged just 21 and chasing his first Major, he opened with a 65 to grab the first-round lead. That lead was two after his second round 69 and four with 18 to play after a 70 in his third round.
With nine to play, he held a slender lead after slipping to a 37 outward nine before the wheels came off. A wild drive on the 10th led to a triple bogey which he backed up with a three-putt bogey at the next. On the 12th, he needed four putts (double bogey) before finding Rae’s Creek on the 13th and closed with an 80.
Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images
