Augusta, Ga. –on expression Rory McIlroyHis face said it all. As he walked toward his ball just to the right of the 18th fairway at Augusta National, which was nearly at the 10th, he heaved a sigh and shook his head. Of course, it wasn’t going to be easy — not at Augusta National, not for him, not after holding a six-shot, 36-hole lead and having already experienced the feeling of winning here.
The perfect final tee shot he hit to win the Masters in a playoff last year remains a faint memory. Now, he had to find a way to put the ball in the hole in five strokes to wear the green jacket once again.
“I thought it was very difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and Grand Slams,” McIlroy said. “And then this year, I realized it’s really hard to win the Masters. I tried to convince myself it was both.”
Two-shot lead McIlroy prepared for a simple coronation: Hit it into the fairway, sink it into the green and savor the moment — a stress-free walk down the 18th fairway that he was unable to experience a year ago. Instead, McIlroy put on his gloves and took a long, informal walk to move the gallery of patrons and have a clear view of his target. He needed to escape one last time.
“I don’t make it easy,” McIlroy said. “I used to make it look easy in my early 20s when I used to win these things by eight shots. It’s very hard. It’s hard to win golf tournaments.”
Over the past year, McIlroy has tried his best to pursue his quest for freedom; But as he said Friday, at times he found himself unmotivated. He realized that Grand Slam is not a gratifying destination, only a momentary destination. But by the time the anniversary of his victory arrived, McIlroy’s outlook had changed. He spent the three weeks before the tournament away from competitive golf and instead turned the difficult golf course into his practice facility.
“I joked last week and I’m saying it this week that this place feels like my home course,” McIlroy said. “I haven’t really played anywhere else in the last two or three weeks.”
He would go on day trips after dropping his daughter Poppy off at school, playing the course from time to time, not necessarily hoping to gain an edge but hoping to fall in love with it again. This Sisyphean plot of land had been unconquered for so long that McIlroy had come to hate the annual trip here in April.
Now, with Augusta transformed into the site of his greatest victories, McIlroy found himself drawn here again and again. remembering advice from jack nicklaus Regarding how he prepared for the tournament by simulating a full tournament in practice, McIlroy played a round at Augusta with one ball and discovered new parts of the golf course that he never thought possible. The rumor on the field this week was that, in one of those rounds, he had shot a possible course record 62.
At other times he would slow down, peel and pour over decorated surfaces as if he were re-reading a book for which he had come to find a new affinity.
“I felt prepared that way. I felt wherever I hit it on the golf course, I’m prepared, I know what to expect. I know where to miss,” McIlroy said. “I’m pretty comfortable with all my shots around the greens.”
When he raced to share the lead on Thursday and a six-shot lead on Friday after shooting a 65, it was a welcome confirmation: All the hard work he had put in had paid off. Despite not having his best stuff, missing fairways and dragging his irons, he was enjoying every position he put himself in.
“My scrimmaging and my short game and my putting,” McIlroy said. “That’s what won me the tournament this week.”
And yet even familiarity couldn’t change McIlroy’s software. He lost his six-shot lead on Saturday by one stroke and had to work hard to save his chances in the tournament. Sunday was no different. He lost his lead on the second hole and then regained it on the third hole. He made double bogey on the fourth hole and added another bogey on the sixth hole. Suddenly he was two shots behind.
The ups and downs continued: McIlroy birdied the 7th and 8th holes and reached Amen Corner with a one-stroke lead. He carved a 9-iron at the 12th to set up a birdie and got up-and-down for another at the 13th. A year after playing Amen Corner at 3-over par, McIlroy clawed his way through a trio of holes five shots better and a lead he would not relinquish. not this time.
On a day when no one seemed eager to grab and hold the lead, McIlroy once again did enough and did it his way – not with dominance but with drama. Not with certainty but by displaying the full range of emotions and taking everyone along for the ride.
“Of all the major sports, I think this is the most mental. It’s the most challenging mentally,” McIlroy said. “I think it’s hard to be in the same mental state for four days in a row.”
After taking his shot on 18 over and around every possible tree in his path and into the bunker that nearly ended his dream last year, McIlroy watched his par putt fall a few inches before he could mark it. After all, no more suspicion or potential danger awaited him.
He turned to the back of the hare, looked at his family and raised his arms. He later explained that it was more joyous and not such an overwhelming waterfall of emotions as last year. This later had an impact when, after once again wearing his green jacket, he spoke directly to his parents.
“Mom and Dad, I owe you everything,” McElroy said, crying. “You are the most amazing parents. And if I can be half as much of a parent to Poppy as you were to me then I know I’ve done a good job.”
The two had spent the previous April across the Atlantic, watching their son wrestle with himself late into the night before emerging victorious. This year, both were here – Gerry had been stalking Rory all week while Rosie was slung over her shoulder with a handbag emblazoned with newspaper clippings of McIlroy’s Grand Slam win.
“I found myself thinking about him many times on the golf course and I said, ‘No, not yet, not yet,'” McIlroy said. “I had to convince them to come this year because they thought the reason I won last year was because they weren’t here. I’m glad we proved that wrong, so they can come as long as they want.”
When he finally allowed himself to think about her, McIlroy walked off the 18th green and received her embrace. A year ago, they replaced this place with the Hall of Horrors in his highest achievementBut on Sunday, when he emerged again a champion and rested his head on his parents’ shoulders, McIlroy was at home.
