Poulter believes he is ready to have a real shot at Augusta joy
RORY McIlroy has revealed how he has distanced himself from his usual massive Masters following as he looks to finally complete his career Grand Slam.
Speaking ahead of Thursday’s start at Augusta, the Ulsterman — who has won The Open, US Open and US PGA Championship — admitted he is prepared to “p*** a few people off ” in order to finally win The Masters following his heartbreak in 2011.
“I think everyone feels the same about The Masters as it’s the one tournament everyone wants to go to,” McIlroy said. “But this year I’m trying to cut that back and not have such a big entourage around me and not too many people there.
“I basically want to try and treat it like a normal week instead of having seven people in the house and renting another house for 10 people.
“It becomes quite a production at times and I just want to have it chilled and quiet. It might p*** a few people off but if it helps me win The Masters, I don’t mind that.”
The one pal he is keeping close is lifelong friend Harry Diamond, who took over his caddie duties following last year’s split with long-time bag man JP Fitzgerald.
Diamond, McIlroy’s best man, was meant to be only a temporary replacement after Fitzgerald’s sudden dismissal last July, with the experts telling McIlroy he needed a strong character to sort out his “course management”.
Initially, McIlroy agreed, before choosing his own way.
“A few established caddies were going to come down to Florida in the close season and I was going to spend a few days with them, but I sat back and thought, ‘What’s the point? I’m enjoying it with Harry’,” McIlroy said.
“Harry’s really grown into the role, he’s got his book and is doing his thing but, for the first time, I’ve now got my own book, with my yardages. I like that.
“Because now, when we are conferring over a shot, I know there’s no one else to blame and that is what I was doing with JP — blaming him. I’ve felt much happier. If I hit a bad shot, knowing I’m responsible helps me deal with it so much quicker.”
One trap he is not going to fall into is thinking that a Masters victory will definitely come his way.
“People would think it’s on my mind all the time,” he said. “I’d love the green jacket in the closet, to go back every year and use the champions’ locker room, to host dinner as the champion. Nobody could ever take that away from you. I think about The Masters the week before I play it, because that’s when I prepare for it. “No one is owed anything, due anything, it’s not my turn. I don’t believe in that stuff. My dad always used to say to me, ‘If it’s for you, it won’t go past you’ and I hate that line because that’s not how it works. You have to go and do it yourself. It doesn’t just magically fall into your lap. Everyone starts on an even playing field on Thursday morning. Whoever plays the best will win.”
Meanwhile, Sir Nick Faldo believes a rejuvenated Tiger Woods will “threaten” for a 15th Major title and first in a decade.
Woods (left) attended the annual Champions Dinner at Augusta last year but was in pain from leg and back injuries and did not compete for the third time in four years.
He subsequently underwent spinal fusion surgery, his fourth back operation in the space of three years, but returned to action in December and is among the favourites for the first Major of the season after finishing 12th, second and fifth in his last three starts on the PGA Tour.
“He’s going to threaten,” threetime Masters winner Faldo said.
“He has the potential. His Looking up: Rory McIlroy on the 16th green during practice at Augusta
game is amazing. I think he’s ahead of schedule. He’s been in there competing for the last couple of events. That’s the most important thing, you’ve got to climb that ladder and scare yourself.”
Woods (42) finished a shot behind England’s Paul Casey in the Valspar Championship and was in contention for a record ninth victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational until hooking his tee shot out of bounds on the 16th hole of the final round.
“If he really can put a finger on why that one is happening (and) erase that, he will definitely be in there,” Faldo added. “How he’s found five more miles per hour in club head speed in his 40s after a fused back is unbelievable.” IAN Poulter believes his best is yet to come after playing his way into the Masters.
The Englishman needed a win at the Houston Open to advance into the year’s first major and duly delivered, making a 20foot putt for birdie to get into a play-off and then capitalising on a Beau Hossler mistake to win a play-off.
It is all a far cry from last season when the 42-year old thought he had lost his card in America before being handed a reprieve after a recalculation.
The win was his first in six years but Poulter is now fully focused on getting back to his best and earning a place at the Ryder Cup.
He said: “It’s tough when you’re down, when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, when everything seems to be going wrong, it’s hard, it gets you down.
“But it’s not the first time I’ve gone through some roller coasters.
“That’s as low as I’ve ever been, that’s as far down the world rankings as I’ve been, questioning whether you’ve got a Tour card or not — it isn’t very good.
“It’s not very good for your mental strength.
“It’s not very good for your psyche, but to reassess, to reform the team, Paul Dunkley, my agent, has done an incredible job... simplifying my life to get me back on track, it’s been amazing. The journey continues.
“I’ve had 19 good years on tour and I guess I’ve got another couple coming. There’s life in the old dog yet.”