Rory McIlroy is preparing for the Masters slightly differently this time around – but could that affect his title defence?
Rory McIlroy will never experience the same weight of pressure at the Masters as he did during that intoxicating Sunday at Augusta National last April.
He’ll also probably never have the same extent of extra curricular activities as he does on this year’s return down Magnolia Lane. Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Sir Nick Faldo are the only golfers in history to successfully defend their Masters title.
And Paul McGinley believes that those extra responsibilities McIlroy will have as champion – including hosting duties for the Champions Dinner – will heighten the task of going back-to-back.
“It’s always difficult to defend at the Masters,” McGinley told Sky Sports News.
“There are so many obligations you have as a defending champion, not just hosting the dinner on Tuesday night for past champions. He’ll probably be around there at the [Augusta National Women’s Amateur] before that and maybe even the Drive, Chip and Putt for the kids the day before.
“So there are a lot of obligations, a lot of pressure, a lot of scrutiny, but I guess nothing like he had last year when he was on the verge of trying to win a grand slam and eventually getting over the line in such incredible circumstances.”
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This will also be the first time since The Players moved to March in 2019 that McIlroy has not played a tournament between visits to Sawgrass and Augusta. McIlroy says he has fully recovered from the back injury that ruled him out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and derailed his Players preparations. He clearly wants to conserve energy ahead of a full-on week in Georgia.
“He got disrupted in Florida, and it really cost him two tournaments,” McGinley explained. “Bay Hill, where he was doing OK after two rounds and had to pull out with a back injury, and the following week [at The Players], when he actually did play, but with no preparation.
“He finished well down the field and his stats were well off the pace there. So it is a bit worrying. He did get distracted, although he says he’s over the injury now and he’s taken a few weeks off. He’s at home in Florida practicing and getting ready.”
This is the longest time McIlroy has had off before the Masters since 2012. Still, McGinley knows it would be churlish to rule out an unburdened and fit again McIlroy from winning a second Green Jacket.
“He may well raise a gallop at the Masters,” the Irishman added. “His form and his injuries in the past few weeks suggest that maybe he is going to be off the boil.
“It is going to be interesting to see how he handles all of that, but it is a golf course that suits him, and he’s going back to unbelievably strong memories from last year.
“Of course, you’re not going to discount him.”