Rory McIlroy is already one of many sport’s greats. He’s a four-time main champion, has gained 24 PGA Tour tournaments and three FedEx Cup titles (probably the most in PGA Tour historical past). But, there’s nonetheless a obtrusive gap on his resume, and that’s a Inexperienced Jacket.
The Masters at Augusta Nationwide is the lone main title McIlroy is but to beat.
The 34-year-old McIlroy lately joined the English podcast Stick with Soccer the place he detailed his struggles there.
“This 12 months… I used to be on the primary inexperienced the second morning. I noticed Brooks Koepka was developing the eighth… I noticed that he had already bought to 10-under. I’m even par. I’m there pondering ‘jeez, I’m 10 behind already. I’ve to begin urgent,’” McIlroy admitted.
“The worst factor I did that day was take a look at the leaderboard… The successful rating ended up being 10-under, so I assumed I wanted to get to 10-under within the area of 18 or 27 holes once I may have stated, ‘It’s okay, sit back. Play your regular sport and see the place you’re at.’”
The 2023 Masters is hardly the one time McIlroy missed a chance to affix the unique record of profession Grand Slam winners.
He has come shut various instances, together with 2011 when he held a four-shot lead going into Sunday. A closing spherical 80 sadly despatched the Irishman to a T15 end as Charl Scwartzel took dwelling the trophy.
There have been various different shut calls, together with a second place end in 2022.
Photograph by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Pictures
Podcast host Paddy McGuinness applauded the Irishman for accepting that “vulnerability” on the Masters.
“I believe at Augusta for me, I typically do issues I wouldn’t usually do due to what it’s, the strain, that kind of stuff,” McIlroy retorted.
Not solely has he did not win the Masters, but it surely has been 10 years since his final main victory of any sort. The 2014 PGA Championship was his final main title.
McIlroy joined Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as the one gamers below the age of 25 to win 4 majors. It appeared as if he may climb onto the Mount Rushmore of golfers. However that narrative has clearly modified over the past decade.
The previous world primary is totally assured in his capacity, however wants to enhance his psychological method at Augusta.
“I do know I can win. I do know I can beat all these guys. So the one individual stopping me from doing that’s myself, my ideas… That’s why Tiger was so good. He was so sturdy mentally, he was a lot mentally higher than anybody else.”
McIlroy is one hundred pc spot on with that evaluation.
Kendall Capps is the Senior Editor at SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. For extra golf protection, comply with us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms.