Rory McIlroy has explained how his mindset is completely different going into The Masters this year, with the Northern Irishman joking that he would not mind if the tournament never even began.
Of course, McIlroy is the defending champion this week. Few will ever forget how he finally completed the Career Grand Slam after one of the most enthralling final rounds ever seen at Augusta National.
McIlroy did absolutely everything he could to throw the title away. But a birdie in the playoff was enough for the 36-year-old to get the better of Justin Rose.
You could almost see the burden lifted from his shoulders when he holed the putt to win. McIlroy immediately collapsed to his knees and burst into tears.
Rory McIlroy explains how different this year’s Masters will be
McIlroy had taken more than a decade to complete the Career Grand Slam. Meanwhile, it was arguably the closest he came to winning The Masters since he boasted a commanding lead going into the final round in 2011.
It is going to be fascinating to see how he performs now that he does not have to worry about winning The Masters for the first time.
Speaking to the media ahead of the opening round, McIlroy opened up on how strange it is to return to Augusta National this time around.
“I think the best way that I can describe it is; well, firstly, I would have never gotten up here this early. I would have never arrived on a Saturday. I usually arrive earliest Sunday night but probably Monday, Monday evening,” he said.
“I think for the past 17 years I just could not wait for the tournament to start, and this year I wouldn’t care if the tournament never started. That’s sort of the difference.
“Yeah, it’s completely different. I feel so much more relaxed. I know that I’m going to be coming back here for a lot of years, going to enjoy the perks that the champions get here. It doesn’t make me any less motivated to go out there and play well and try to win the tournament, but yeah, just more relaxed about it all.”
The big question mark hanging over McIlroy after his Masters triumph
This year’s Masters will be completely unique for McIlroy. His legacy in the game will not change unless he goes on and wins again.
Not playing with that pressure could be a complete game-changer. However, it cannot be forgotten how he played in the months after winning The Masters one year ago.
It was almost as though McIlroy was struggling to find his purpose on the golf course after achieving his biggest goal.
The Irish Open and the Ryder Cup seemed to snap McIlroy out of that slump. So perhaps he has been able to reassess his future and set new targets.
However, it will definitely be interesting to see how this mindset impacts how McIlroy plays at Augusta National over the remainder of his career.
