Everyone Is Talking About Rory McIlroy At Augusta

By Billy Dowling | Apr 8, 2015

Augusta is no stranger to great stories over the years, and this year’s edition will inevitably carve out it’s own chapter in The Masters history books. Bubba Watson or Billy Payne (if Bubba repeats) will be slipping the Green Jacket on someone and the list of golf’s most prestigious winners will continue to grow. Just this week Rory McIlroy has an opportunity to do something really special, he has a chance to join a group in the game that only five others have reached. For Rory this is not just about The Masters, it’s about history.

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A win on Sunday would not only earn him a trip to Butler Cabin, it will give him the career grand slam, thee straight majors, and a chance for something really special in June at the U.S. Open. With something this unique on the table it’s tough not to get ahead of ourselves, and that goes for him too.

"“My mind wanders to winning this tournament,” Rory said. “Thinking what it would be like and what it would mean but it hasn’t really wandered beyond that. It’s been the same every time I won a major it hasn’t wandered beyond the next one”"

I can’t blame him for thinking about what it would be like to win. Heck I think about it for myself and I will never be teeing it up in the tournament. This is the story the week, yes Tiger Woods is trying to play golf again but Rory’s quest for greatness is number one, and everybody is talking about it.

This includes Woods, who is the last man to win the career grand slam, and four majors in a row. In 2000 he completed the career grand slam at St. Andrews and then won his famous “Tiger Slam” the following April at Augusta. He knows what it takes and what it feels like to achieve this rare accomplishment. According to him if it doesn’t happen this week for Rory, lets not start hitting the panic button.

"“He has that opportunity and he’s going to have that opportunity for decades to come,” Tiger says. “I’m sure he’ll have many Green Jackets in his closet before it’s all said and done”"

Phil Mickelson has three Green Jackets hanging in the Champions Locker Room. He also has something in common, with McIlroy as he too is one major away from the career grand slam. Phil will tackle that quest and his U.S. Open nightmares at Chambers Bay, but for now all his attention is on mastering Augusta for a fourth time. He too knows that it’s only a matter of time before Rory finds his way around these Georgia Pines.

"“I think the Masters is a golf course that is well suited for Rory,” Phil said. He almost won here a couple years ago when he was leading going into the back nine. The length, ball striking, and putting touch he has, I think he’s going to be tough at it for the rest of his career. He’s going to win it whether it’s this week or not you never know.”"

If this is going to be “that” week for Rory he’s going to have to get past Jordan Spieth. The twenty-one year old has arguably been the best player on the planet over the past few weeks. Coming into Augusta off of a win and two runner up finishes in his last three starts, he’s been on fire. He knows that McIlroy is on the verge of something special but that doesn’t mean he’s about to roll out the red carpet for him either.

"“I know he’s been working really hard and obviously this tournament would complete his major slam,” Jordan said. “I’m trying to do my part, I’m not really focused on what he’s doing. He’s the one in that spot right now and I know what I have to do to try and overtake that.”"

The pre-tournament chatter this week has been some of the most exciting I have ever seen. That all goes out the window tomorrow morning when McIlroy and everyone else get it going for real. Regardless of what happens we will all be “talking” on Sunday, just Rory hopes it’s about him.

Quotes from TheMasters.com

Next: What About Adam Scott?

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