Present this week in San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open, Rory McIlroy made a visit to Augusta between Monday and Tuesday, just to familiarize himself with certain modifications made to the legendary Masters course (April 7-10). A route which, for the Northern Irishman four times winner in Majors, is very similar to TPC San Antonio…
Rory McIlroy is still waiting to perform his “personal” Grand Slam, that is to say to win the four Major tournaments. Victorious of theUS Open in 2011 and then twice from PGA Championship (2012 and 2014) and The Open to Royal Liverpool in 2014, the Northern Irishman longed to put on the green jacket at Augusta.
To finally achieve this – he was almost there at the start of the 4th round in 2011 with a four-stroke lead before collapsing in the Amen Corner – the Briton made a detour through Georgia at the start of the week before reach Texas. He thus stayed two days (Monday and Tuesday) in Augusta in order to familiarize himself with the modifications made to the course, in particular these three revamped greens of 3, 13 and 17 while holes 11 and 15 were respectively lengthened by 15 and 20. meters.
A pleasant feeling
« I just wanted to see this for myself and do some reconnaissance that I haven’t really done in the past two years.explained McIlroy on the sidelines of the Valero Texas Open. It was good to be there, to see the place. Playing this week here (au Texas), I don’t feel like there’s any urgency to get there (to Augusta) next week and prepare. I thus have the impression of having done most of the job, which is, I do not hide it, a pleasant feeling.»
The former world No. 1 also specified that the Oaks Course from TPC San Antonio has some characteristics similar to theAugusta National.
Chipping, pitching…
« I think that around the greens, we will be in the same contexthe added. I am thinking in particular of the undulations on these same greens, of certain shots that you play if you were to miss a green. Some of the bunkers on this course (from San Antonio) are also quite deep… It’s a generous course from the tee, and Augusta is a bit like that too. The look is just different. But the work around the greens, especially chipping or pitching, is good preparation for next week… »
In thirteen participations in the Masters since 2009, Rory McIlroy has crossed the cut eleven times, finishing once 4th (in 2015) and twice 5th (in 2018 and 2020).
Photo : Mike Ehrmann / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
