Rory: I’ll test my patience

RORY MCILROY wants to be “boring” and not go bust in his opening round at the Masters today.

The world No.2 went for a golf lesson in Las Vegas with swing guru Butch Harmon last month but will not be gambling early in his latest bid to win a Major.

The Ulsterman has failed to break par in the opening round of each of his last five Augusta appearances with an average score of 73.8. He has missed the cut two of the past three years.

The start here is so important with the champion sitting in the top 10 after the first round in each of the last 18 years except when Tiger Woods won in 2019. He was tied 11th after 18 holes.

Mcilroy (above) has been consistent over the last two years in the Majors – he has finished in the top 10 seven out of eight times – but is fast approaching the 10th anniversary of his last win at the 2014 US PGA.

He goes out at 3.42pm UK time today alongside world No.1 Scottie Scheffler and world No.5 Xander Schauffele.

After his Vegas visit, he finished third in his final warm-up after carding two bogey-free rounds, including his closing 66.

And with rain and strong winds forecast for the first round, the four-time Major winner will take the same “conservative route” at the first Major of the year.

Mcilroy said: “Good golf at Augusta feels like boring golf and I think that’s something that I’ve always struggled with because that’s not my game.

“To me it’s the biggest test of discipline and the biggest test of patience of the year for me.

“A thing I have tried to learn is not trying to win it from the first tee shot.

“It’s a 72-hole golf tournament. I’ve won from 10 strokes back going into the weekend. There’s loads of different ways to do it.”