Augusta (United States) (AFP) – Winning back-to-back Masters titles has Rory McIlroy yearning for even more major success. A year after winning his first Masters completed a career Grand Slam and ended a 10-year major win drought, the 36-year-old from Northern Ireland feels like there is more to come following his sixth major triumph.
“I’m not putting a number on it but I certainly don’t want to stop here,” McIlroy said of his major win total. McIlroy matched Nick Faldo with six career major triumphs, one shy of the European record set by Britain’s Harry Vardon from 1896 to 1914. Let the debate begin over Europe’s all-time top golfer.
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“There’s obviously going to be that conversation, and that debate is going to be hard, but it’s a cool conversation to be a part of,” McIlroy said. “It took me 10 years to win my fifth major and then my sixth one has come pretty soon after it.”
One reason McIlroy’s confidence is boosted is a different feel after this Masters win compared to last year, when victory and the Slam felt like long-sought accomplishments. “I felt like the Grand Slam was the destination and I realized it wasn’t,” McIlroy said. “I just won my sixth major and I feel like I’m in a really good spot with my game and my body. I feel like this win is just a part of the journey. I still have things I want to achieve, but I still want to enjoy it as well.”
“I’ve waited so long to win the Masters, and all of a sudden I win two in a row, so I still want to enjoy it. I’ve got a couple of weeks off before I go back to play competitive golf, but I don’t think I’ll go through that lull of motivation or the sort of things I was feeling last year post winning this tournament.”
While McIlroy struggled after last year’s victory over the magnitude and enormity of the achievement, this one came as more of a relief after woeful tee shots saw him squander a Masters record six-stroke 36-hole lead. “Just absolutely delighted to be able to get it done,” McIlroy said. “Having a six-shot lead going into the weekend, it would have been a bitter pill to swallow if I wasn’t able to get myself over the finish line.”
Victory came after his tee shot at 18 soared way right over trees. He curled an approach into a greenside bunker and salvaged bogey for a one-stroke victory over top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, who had a bogey-free weekend while McIlroy played the last 36 holes at level par. “Walking off the 18th tee not knowing where my ball was, I think that was the moment of greatest stress,” McIlroy said. “It could be anywhere.”
– ‘It’s amazing’ –
There was no emotional drop to his knees or crying after this win as there had been a year ago. “I was just like ‘I can’t believe I’ve just done it again,'” he said. “More joy. Not as emotional, but just, ‘wow, it’s amazing. I can’t believe I did it again.'”
The celebration, however, will be as great as last year’s. “We lose a lot more in golf than we win, so I think when the winning comes around, you have to celebrate it to the fullest,” McIlroy said.
Second-ranked McIlroy sees a method for future majors in this week’s success. “It’s a good blueprint,” he said. “I’m not going to take three weeks off before every major, but to get to the major venues early, do your preparation, actually play. Go out there with one ball, shoot a score, and try to do it that way. I did a little bit of that leading up to here, and I think that’s certainly a good way to prepare going into the next majors.”
McIlroy did learn a key lesson. “I thought it was so difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and the Grand Slam,” McIlroy said. “This year I realized it’s just really difficult to win the Masters.”
© 2024 AFP
