GONE WITH THE WIND Rory needs to iron out issues says McGinley
Tiger helps Max feel at Homa
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MAX HOMA wants to make his own Masters memories for his journal after getting backed to win his first Major by “special” Tiger Woods.
The world No.11 “religiously” writes down his “mental goals” and thoughts every day.
“It’s one thing to think it but when you write it down, it becomes a bit more tangible,” he said.
Yet despite competing at the top of leaderboard at Augusta National, the Californian had been more focused on watching his playing partner Woods make his record 24th consecutive cut at the Masters.
“I would just say that the memories will just be a lot of the Tiger stuff,” he said. “I hope to build my own come this weekend.”
Homa (above) recorded his first top-10 Major finish at The Open and shot his lowest score with his opening 67 to impress Woods.
The 15-time Major champion (below) said: “He’s got all the talent in the world. It’s just a matter of time before he starts winning in bunches.”
Self-deprecating Homa was more famous for his dry humour on social media than his golf before winning six PGA Tour titles and making his Ryder Cup debut.
In 2017, as he was missing 15 out of 17 cuts, he was inundated with offers after advertising for a new caddie. He joked on X: “They heard they usually get weekends off which is apparently a great selling point.”
Asked if it was easy to block out the crowd circus playing with Woods, Homa said: “I would argue they block me and
Jason (Day) out so it’s actually quite easy. It really is a dream to get to play with him here.
“I’m very fortunate. I have a wife that does not let me gloat and I have friends that will just want to hear about what Tiger did today. So I’m surrounded by some awesome people.”
RORY McILROY has gone back to struggling with his irons under the pressure of completing his career Grand Slam at the Masters, according to Paul McGinley. The world No.2 admitted his golf swing felt “horrific” during a painfully slow second round which took more than six hours in gusting winds.
The Ulsterman carded his first birdie-free round at Augusta National in his 77 to end his 16th bid to win the Masters – and his 10th to finish his full set of Majors here.
McIlroy, 34, tried to change his fortune in Georgia this year by having a coaching clinic with Butch Harmon, going early to Augusta for a reconnaissance mission, playing the week before and arriving late on Tuesday.
He even cut his pretournament press conference to just over 10 minutes.
But it was the same old story for the Floridabased star, now approaching the 10th anniversary
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of his fourth and last Major win in August 2014. “His iron play was poor,” said his former Ryder Cup captain McGinley (inset, top).
“That is what he has really struggled with this year. He improved last week after going to see Butch Harmon in Las Vegas and finished third at the Valero Texas Open.
“But he has been back struggling with the irons in Augusta. I hate to see it happen. He is not playing very well. Players come in and out of form and Rory is not in good form at the moment.”
Speaking before the
88th Masters, six-time champ Jack Nicklaus (inset, bottom) warned McIlroy that great players like Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson never completed their career Grand Slams.
And the Golden Bear was critical of his concentration.
“For some reason,
Rory always has a little bit of a lapse somewhere around the tournament,” said Nicklaus.
“He’ll find a double bogey or triple bogey that sneaks in there.”
McIlroy fell down the field on Friday when he took a double bogey at the 11th after a long wait on the tee.
“My golf swing felt horrific for the last six or seven holes just from waiting around, especially the 11th hole,” he said.
“It was stop and start. Hard to get into a rhythm with the conditions and obviously how slow the play was as well. Mentally it’s a grind.” McIlroy was given a lesson on how to stay in contention despite the tough conditions by his playing partner Scottie Scheffler.
The world No.1 has 18 top-10 finishes in his last 24 starts and the 2022 Masters champion came into the first Major of the season as the hot favourite. Double US Open champion Curtis Strange said: “I think the players go to the first tee knowing he is not going to give them anything. “They have got to play perfect. He is playing spectacular golf. “He has positive belief in his game. This is why he is the man to beat.”