AUGUSTA, Ga. – Rory McIlroy made a hasty exit from the interview room Tuesday at Augusta National.
“I guess just trying to bring a little bit of normalcy into what I try to do week-in, week-out,” he said.
McIlroy did most of his Augusta National homework last week when he played two practice rounds ahead of the Valero Texas Open.
“I play 25 weeks a year, and there’s no point in doing anything different this week compared to other weeks,” he said.
McIlroy offered no opening remarks, and the presser ended about 13 minutes after it started – significantly shorter than, say, Tiger Woods, who was in the interview room an hour earlier.
Though he believes he has the physical tools to win, McIlroy is aware that equally as important is his head space this week.
“No question, he’ll do it at some point,” Woods said of McIlroy’s Masters bid.
“I think that Rory will be a great Masters champion one day, and it could be this week.
AUGUSTA, Georgia. – Rory McIlroy left the Augusta National interview room quickly on Tuesday.
It was work after an unintentionally delayed start.
McIlroy arrived in the area to start his tournament-week preparations at the Masters late on Tuesday, searching for the recipe that will allow him to finally complete the career Grand Slam.
“I suppose I’m just attempting to infuse a little normalcy into my weekly routine,” he remarked.
Last week, McIlroy played two practice rounds prior to the Valero Texas Open, which covered most of his Augusta National homework. Even though he didn’t really compete at TPC San Antonio, he showed progress with his approach play and achieved his best PGA Tour finish of the year—third—in the tournament (he had previously won in Dubai).
In keeping with his usual routine, McIlroy took a quick “reset” flight home to South Florida following the Valero before making his way to Georgia on Tuesday.
“There’s no point in doing anything different this week compared to other weeks. I play 25 weeks a year,” he remarked. “I think I’ve finished the majority of my preparation work already. Therefore, all that needs to happen is to go out there, be at ease, and have the appropriate attitude. My ability to perform on the golf course will increase as I get better at doing that. “.
To complete the last leg of the career Grand Slam, McIlroy will try ten times this time. He has adjusted and tinkered with his preparation and strategy over the past few years, but he hasn’t had much luck. With an average score of 73 points, he has failed to break par in the first round of each of his previous five Masters appearances, frequently falling too far behind to have a meaningful chance. In the last three years, he has missed the cut twice.
This most recent plan resulted from that, and it arrives just thirty minutes before his scheduled 12:30 p.m. me. on Tuesday, the busiest workday of the week, a press conference. Unlike, say, Tiger Woods, who was in the interview room for an hour earlier, McIlroy made no opening remarks and the press conference ended about 13 minutes after it began.
McIlroy knows that his mental state is just as crucial this week even though he feels he has the physical tools to prevail. While attempting to be disciplined and patient, he stated that he is “not trying to win it from the first tee shot.”.
Woods responded to McIlroy’s Masters bid, saying, “No question, he’ll do it at some point.”. “Rory has excessive talent and excellence. He will be performing at this event for an extended period of time. He will complete it. All that matters is the timing.
One day, maybe this week, Rory will emerge as a great Masters champion in my opinion. One can never be sure. I simply believe that it’s a matter of time given his talent, style of play, and eye for the golf course. “.
Starting at 10:32 a.m., McIlroy will make another attempt to end the run. m. Together with Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, ET on Thursday.
