Rory McIlroy’s closest companion on tour and two former August National winning heroes believe McIlroy will carry little emotional baggage with him down Magnolia Lane and into next week’s Masters.

Graeme McDowell is probably McIlroy’s closest companion on Tour and more so since McIlroy joined G Mac late last year in the same Dublin based management stable.

But there was little McDowell could do at the sight a year ago when, with one arm already in a first Masters green jacket, McIlroy imploded on the final day last year at Augusta blowing a four-shot lead and shoot an 80 to lose by 10.

The look of utter despair - Rory McIlroy on route to an 80 during last year's final round of the Masters.

However as the golfing world wept at the soul-destroying sight of the young 23-year old McIlroy imploding, the curly haired Ulsterman was already planning a Congressional command performance.

It took McIlroy just 70 days to bury those Augusta National demons in capturing the U.S. Open.

And after losing his fortnight grip on the World No. 1 ranking, McDowell believes also the last thing McIlroy needed was that added pressure of living up to the tag of the game’s best player.

“There is no doubt that Rory will go back to Augusta feeling a little bit he has a point to make after what happened last year,” said McDowell.

“The thing is also that if Rory was going into the Masters as World No. 1 he would be carrying that extra expectation.

“However the fact that Luke has got back to World No. 1 is going to be a bonus for Rory as it will just take the pressure off him that tiny bit more.

“But I will say that Rory has got a point to prove next week and he’s a hell of a player.”

The Augusta National winning duo of Mark O’Meara Mike Weir know what it takes to find the shortest way around the Georgia golfing gem.

O’Meara birdied his closing two holes to capture the 1998 Masters before then winning The Open the same year at Royal Birkdale.

He first laid eyes on McIlroy’s game during the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic and declaring the curly-haired Irishman ‘to be a better ball-striker and better technique at 19 compared to Tiger Woods at the same age’.

And while O’Meara believes McIlroy was hurt by the events of last year, he’s also positive McIlroy can do what he did at Congressional.

“It must have scarred Rory a little bit with what happened last year, for sure,” said O’Meara.

The only luggage Rory McIlroy will carry with him down Magnolia Lane is memories of his stunning Congressional command performance.

“But when you’re that young, you’re fearless aren’t you?

“The thing is that talent oozes out of Rory and he could screw-up a little bit like we saw last year but he’s just so good.

“Rory may not have won as many tournaments as he would have liked but the way he then bounced back and dominated the U.S. Open field, especially coming back in the first Major after the Masters was awesome.

“It just goes to show you the kid is for real and that’s for sure.

“So he will go to Augusta knowing that he can win now at Augusta and he must truly believe that.

“We saw for three rounds last year he’s got all the quality shots to win at Augusta.”

 Canadian born Weir defeated American Len Mattice in a 2003 play-off to become only the second southpaw golfer to win a Major.

Weir was back home in Utah last year after missing the cut and watching TV coverage of McIlroy’s meltdown.

“I think he may carry a little emotional baggage as I remember my second year on the PGA Tour in 1999,” said Weir.

“I’d had a couple of decent finishes and all of a sudden after three rounds I was tied for the lead in the PGA Championship at Medinah nd I shot 80 played the final round playing with Tiger.

“I was very much out of my element but I put it behind me and won my first tournament two weeks later and that did a lot of me.

“So as they say it was history.

“As for Rory, handling what happened at Augusta the way he did and then winning at Congressional, I think the 2011 Masters is well and truly right out of his mind.

“So, no scars, at all.  He’s such a great player.  I haven’t played with him but I have watched him hit balls and he’s very impressive.

“Hopefully, Rory just keeps ascending.”