Augusta, GA … It sounds simple enough as Rory McIlroy just needs one more piece in the jigsaw to finally win a first Masters.
In fact, McIlroy sounds just as confident in finally ending his Augusta puzzle as he is in putting together a 1,000-word ‘White Mountain’ jig-saw puzzle he’s brought with him to Augusta.
McIlroy revealed also he’s brought Monopoly with him to help pass the time in between rounds in this year’s 80th staging of the Masters.
It is McIlroy’s eighth appearance in the year’s traditional opening Major and also, but then McIlroy won’t need reminding, it is the five-year anniversary of his Masters meltdown.
In the intervening period McIlroy’s won four Majors, including three of the four he needs to join golf’s elite ‘Grand Slam Club’.
But after the tension and the pressure he loaded onto his young shoulder a year ago, McIlroy is clearly much-more at ease and so evident in the two days he’s been on the grounds at Augusta.
Rory McIlroy very much at ease heading into the Masters and in stark contrast to his mood 12 months ago.
“I was very happy with my game this time last year and I felt like I was playing pretty well,” he said.
“But I guess there was probably a little more ‑‑ it was probably a little bit more exposed in terms of eyeballs on me and media coverage and whatever.
“Looking back on last year, I didn’t do much wrong really. I played well. I finished 12‑under par for the tournament. I stuck to my game plan for the most part. But again, I was 3‑over after 27 holes and that’s not going to get it done.
“I played the next 45 holes very, very well. I think part of that was having so much expectation and thinking of the Grand Slam and thinking of the Masters and thinking of all this where I needed to just take a step back and relax and go out and try and play my own game.
“So the first 27 holes last year really cost me the tournament, and if I could have had those back, I would have went in there with a different mind‑set and a different disposition, I guess.
“So I knew as soon as this tournament finished last year that I was going to prepare maybe a little bit differently for it this year.
The White House ‘Story Time’ jigsaw puzzle that Rory McIlroy is putting together this week.
“This year it is again all about going out there over these next four days and executing the shots the way I need to and being mentally strong. But I feel good. I probably feel a little bit less ‑‑ probably a little bit more subdued going in this time because I maybe haven’t had the win this year.
“But I feel like my game is right there, so I feel good.”
McIlroy will round off his preparations playing nine holes around noon local time ahead of finding himself the very last to tee off in this year’s Masters in being called to the tee at 2.01pm local time (7.01pm).
Of course, McIlroy has got used to teeing off last on a Sunday in a Major but it’s becoming common for Augusta National officials to put him out last on a Thursday.
“It’s about the third year in a row I’ve been off last either Thursday or Friday here so I was sort of expecting it,” he said.
“I’m not much of a sleeping‑in sort of person so I’ll get up and I’ll probably go to the gym and I’ll just do everything that I can to get ready for the day.
“It does become a long enough day. But I guess as well on a Thursday morning, you’re really just wanting to get here and get out and play, so there’s probably going to be a little bit of anticipation.
“But look, I’m in the Masters field and they can put me off at 6 o’clock in the evening and I’ll still get around and play, so I’ll be all right.”
Then he’ll also have time to put together more in the 1,000 piece White Mountain ‘Story Time’ jig-saw, and something he’s found himself spending time with as evident when he put on Instagram a puzzle he tackled during the recent WGC – Cadillac Championship.
“It’s another ‘Story Time’ puzzle and really enjoy working on them,” he said.
And as for McIlroy’s favourite item in Monopoly.
“I like the little car that you move about the squares,” he remarked smiling.
Now all McIlroy needs to do now it get all the Augusta National pieces together and he’ll have a Masters tee time for a long as he wants.
RORY MCILROY – HIS MASTERS STATS
Masters played in – 7
Rounds played – 26
Best finish – 4th (2015)
Poorest result – Missed cut (2010)
Lowest Masters score – 65 (Day 1, 2011)
Highest Masters score – 80 (Day 4, 2011)
Scoring average – 71.85
Rounds in the 60s – 7
Rounds under par – 16
Rounds at par – 2
Rounds over par – 8
