Roy McIlroy cannot begin to contemplate a career not being able to take breakfast in the Augusta Former Champions Locker Room.
McIlroy singled out the likes of Greg Norman and Ernie Els and who’ve grown old witnessing younger compatriots winning the Masters.
Augusta National has been Norman’s millstone with the ‘Down Under’ wonder last year congratulating a countryman who grew up with pictures of the ‘Great White Shark’ about his bedroom.
Then there’s Ernie Els and the best golfer to come out of South Africa since Gary Player graciously, but not doubt hurting, in extending congratulatory Masters handshake’s to countryman Trevor Immelman and Charl Schwartzel.
It’s why McIlroy desperately seeks to become the first Emerald Isle golfer to be fitted a green jacket.
Rory McIlroy cannot fathom life without a green jacket and then breakfast in the Champions locker room. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“It has to be tough because you can look at someone like Greg Norman seeing Adam win last year,” said McIlroy.
“Then there’s Ernie(Els) and he sees Trevor (Immelman) winning, he sees Charl (Schwartzel) win, and he sees all these young South Africans playing so well, like Louis (Oosthuizen) going so close in a playoff against Bubba (Watson),” said McIlroy.
“Ernie should have won in 2004 when (Phil) Mickelson birdied two of the last three.
“It’s why I’m determined at 24 that I don’t want to get to that point when I’m 44.
“So that’s why it would great to win one Masters sooner rather than later.
“It’s why I just cannot contemplate a career without a green jacket as the Masters just stands out from the other majors because we go back to the same venue every year.
“And I’d be disappointed if I ended my career and wasn’t able to go up and have breakfast in the Champions Locker Room”
Rory McIlroy clearly in pain during his 2011 Masters meltdown. Photo – AP
McIlroy revealed he has a couple of jackets in his wardrobe including one in capturing the 2012 PGA Championship.
“The PGA is a green jacket, as well but then when I won the Sherry Cup one year at Sotogrande I received a sort of mustard coloured one, it’s terrible,” he smiled.
And while rain washed out much of the first official practice round McIlroy’s now smiling when he steps onto the 10th tee.
Not only did the recent ice storm bring down the famed Eisenhower Tree but it also felled the large overhanging branch down the left side of the 10th fairway that McIlroy collected during his gut-wrenching 2011 Masters meltdown.
McIlroy was made aware the storm had brought down the huge branch from ‘Rory’s Tree’ when playing a practice round in the lead-up to this year’s Masters.
“Whenever the member’s play Augusta there is a guy has a beverage cart parked on the 10th tee and he mentioned it to me when I was up there Tuesday before heading to Houston,” said McIlroy.
He just said to me: ‘Oh that branch, it’s not there anymore’.
“And then when I looked it was gone broken off in the ice storm and Augusta had to take it away.”
So while the ice storm finally granted the late US President Eisenhower his lifelong request, nature has delivered McIlroy some justice for him to savour.
Dave Stockton oversees Rory McIlroy’s putting on a dismal day at Augusta.
And if McIlroy believes in God’s hand can help him win at Augusta then there’s the bizarre statistic that on the four occasions Tiger Woods has not contested a Major an Irish golfer has succeeded – Padraig Harrington 2008 British Open and 2008 PGA, McIlroy 2011 US Open and Darren Clarke 2011 British Open.
“That’s good omen,” he said smiling.
“I’m not that superstitious but maybe it gives you an extra bit of ‘Oh, I might have a bit of an extra chance this week.’
“It is funny how that it has happened like that.”
And while thunder and heavy rain dampened the enthusiasm today (MON) of players and patrons, not McIlroy.
“I get excited coming back here every years and the thing that’s nice about Augusta is that they always treat you so well,” he said.
“There’s a certain feeling that you have getting back here.
“For the first couple of years I went, I was scared to take a divot but the more I come back the more comfortable you become in the surroundings.
“It brings out the boy in me, I guess”.
