Defending Arnold Palmer champion Rory McIlroy bizarrely likened his quest to win golf’s coveted Grand Slam to Abraham Lincoln’s goal to become the 16th President of the United States.
The current World No. 6 ranked McIlroy will return to Augusta National in some five weeks looking at ‘Take 5’ to the Masters and join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tiger Woods in golf’s most exclusive club.
McIlroy was asked on the eve of his Bay Hill defence whether he’s come to terms with the failure of the past four Masters as he continues to strive to the one Major to allude the now 29-year old.
He had a first chance in 2011 to win the Masters and more recently, McIlroy went into the final round and in the final group a year ago only to play a Sunday spectator to Patrick Reed.
Rory McIlroy heading to the Masters in some five weeks staring at ‘Take 5’ in his quest to join golf’s ‘Grand Slam’ club. (Photo @tourmiss)
“It has definitely taken me time to come to terms that I have needed to deal with the things I needed to deal with inside my own head,” he said.
“I think sometimes also I am too much a fan of the game because I know who exactly has won a Grand Slam and I know exactly the people I would be putting myself alongside.
“So, there is a part of me that thinks that if I didn’t know the history of the game and I wasn’t such a fan it would work in my favour but that’s not me.
“Though in saying that, I have become more comfortable with it and the extra stress I put myself under that first couple of years like ’15 and ’16 as I have become a lot more comfortable.
“The thing is I am going to fail more than I am going to succeed at that conquest or whatever you are going to call it.
“So, I’ve become comfortable with the fact I’ve tried four times and I’ve failed but Abraham Lincoln lost the first 13 elections he was ever in and he ended-up being a President of the United States, so I still have a bit of time”.
For a golfer who grew-up in suburban Belfast, McIlroy surely knows his USA Presidents history as Lincoln did fail on 13 occasions between losing in 1832 at a first attempt in being elected to Illinois State Legislature to winning a seat in 1834 but then being defeated as Speaker (1838), losing his Congress seat in 1848 while there was a 12th and 13th defeat for Lincoln for the post of Vice-President in both 1856 and 1858.
Lincoln then became President in 1860 won the re-election in 1864 and was assassinated a year later.
McIlroy’s immediate concern is not Augusta but Bay Hill and where a year ago, he ended what was than an 18-month victory drought to birdie five of his six closing holes and win by three shots with a round of 64.
This year, McIlroy’s easily been the best player not to win an event having posted four top-5s including being runner-up in last fortnight’s WGC – Mexico Championship.
“Having chances to win is what I focus on and clearly the more chances you have, the more chances you will have of getting over that line,” he said.
“If I can just keep the form that I’m on I would be happy with that.”
One of those predicting McIlroy may end what is now a forth longest victory dry spell in his 12-year pro career is now World No. 2 Justin Rose who had played last year’s Bay Hill final round in McIlroy’s company.
“It is always good to see Rory win because he makes winning look good,” said Rose.
“He’s got that type of game that when he does win, he makes it looks so easy that it makes you think why isn’t he winning week-in and week-out but we all know that golf isn’t that way.
“Rory ran into ‘DJ’ in Mexico and this is despite shooting 16-under par but clearly he plays well enough to win a golf tournament and in Mexico, he just ran into the wrong guy in the wrong week.
“So, Rory is doing a lot of good things and if I was Rory, I would basically be saying to myself just to be patient and just keep focussing on what I am doing and keep creating chances.
“Though one win in 12 months is not going to be acceptable to Rory but the great thing about Rory, and when you are competing against him is not a great thing but when he’s questioned, he kind of somehow snaps into a gear and proves a lot of people wrong.
“He’s done that a lot of times in his career.
“So, I should be careful about saying too much (smiling)”
