Four-time Major winning Rory McIlroy intends to involve his father in a quest prepare to capture a career Grand Slam at this year’s Masters.
Gerry McIlroy has been to the Masters ever since his only child made his Augusta debut in 2009.
And as interest will intensify ahead of McIlroy’s quest to become just six players to have won all four Majors, the current World No. 1 believes the best preparation could be walking the Georgia golfing gem with the person who was instrumental in first putting a golf club in McIlroy’s then two-year old hands.
“My dad is one of my closest friends so he and I are going to go to Augusta National in the weeks before the Masters when it is nice and quiet and play a round,” said McIlroy.
It is becoming a great double act – Rory McIlroy and his father, Gerry holding aloft another major tournament trophy. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
“He’s never played the course so it’s going to be very special for him but also for me to be able to walk the fairways showing him all the lines off the tee and where to expect the putts to break and so on.
“I am excited what lays ahead for me when I tee up in the Masters but it is still a long way away in terms of my playing schedule this year.
“So when I do to Augusta I will be treating it like I want to be starting off the first Major of the New Year how I ended last year by winning the Open Championship and the PGA Championship.
“But then I also don’t want to put too much pressure on myself given the fact that I can achieve something special this year.
“It’s why I’m arranging for my dad and myself to play Augusta sometime in March for a couple of days so I know that it will a very relaxed environment, and try and treat it as a normal practice round I would play heading into any tournament”.
The relationship between father and son was again clearly obvious last Sunday when the McIlroy’s played together in the same Abu Dhabi Invitational Pro-Am Fourball.
But after the relaxed atmosphere of playing at Yas Links McIlroy is looking to end the European Tour Desert Swing with a victory in Thursday’s starting 26th Dubai Desert Classic before returning to the States and his opening PGA event, the Honda Classic starting on 26th February in West Palm Beach, Florida.
“I won my first European Tour title in Dubai in 2009 and it would be really nice to then head to the States with a win especially after going so close last fortnight in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
“But as long as I put in another good performance that is all that really matters to me even though it would be nice to pick up trophies every week.
“So if I am in contention all the time sooner or later I should knock one off, and besides I still have really good fond memories of winning here in 2009.”
