Rory takes dead aim at the par-fives
AUGUSTA: Rory McIlroy is targeting the Augusta National par-fives at the Masters this week as a key to joining golf ’s elite club of career grand slam champions.
McIlroy, 25, would not predict his chances of reaching Jack Nicklaus’s record 18 majors, or of matching boyhood idol Tiger Woods’s mark of 14, but knows what he needs to do to wear the green jacket.
“If you look at the previous winners here, they’ve all played the par-fives well,” four-times major winner McIlroy said on Tuesday.
The Northern Irishman compared his par-five results with 2014 champion Bubba Watson. Bubba last year played them at eight under par. I played them at even par and he beat me by eight shots,” noted McIlroy, who is 21-under on parfives in 22 Masters rounds.
McIlroy said his booming drives actually worked against him. “Sometimes on par-fives, with my length, I can be a little over-aggressive,” said McIlroy, who hit nine-irons into the 13th and 15th in last year’s final round and posted bogey-sixes in failed attempts to get an eagle.
Winning would complete his set of majors following wins in the US Open, British Open and PGA Championship – a feat accomplished only by Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
He won the last two majors of 2014 to bring his total to four, and some wonder how high up the ladder he will climb.
But not McIlroy, who takes everything one step at a time and credits Woods as an inspiration to the new generation of players.
“My mind wanders to winning this tournament and thinking what it would be like and what it would mean,” he conceded. “It hasn’t really wandered beyond that.”
Meanwhile, major champion and former winning US Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger says McIlroy has a winning personality and is becoming the face of golf, but should not be compared to Woods.
“I don’t think Rory can ever beat Tiger,” Azinger told Reuters under Augusta National’s massive oak tree in front of the clubhouse as players set off for Masters practice.
“I don’t think anyone can ever do what Tiger did. That level of domination is something that no one ever saw coming or expected to ever see again. I don’t expect to see anybody do what Tiger did and I think that’s an unfair bar for Rory.”
“Rory is rapidly becoming the most famous guy in the game,” said Azinger, the 1993 PGA Championship winner.
“He’s a common guy that can do uncommon things. He’s totally one of the guys – that’s reached superstar status.”
Azinger, now an ESPN golf commentator, said McIlroy stands at the top of the emerging class of young players making their mark.
“He’s as polished as anybody at the highest level and he’s got four majors under his belt already so the burden of proof is gone. I always have liked his joyful enthusiasm. He plays like a kid without a care in the world. You see guys a lot of times look like they’re play- ing with their last golf ball but Ro doesn’t play that way, he’s free-wheeling.”
Nine-times major winner Gary Player said he expected McIlroy to surpass him for most majors won by a nonAmerican. “Records are made to be broken, that’s just natural,” the South African said. “I expect Rory to win more than nine.” – Reuters