McIlroy weighs in on Masters hype

The world of golf cannot stop talking up the chances of the planet’s best player heading to Augusta National in November, now Rory McIlroy speaks up on the chatter.

Today should be about wrapping up the year’s first Major … instead, all talk has focused a lot further down the calendar year.

The Covid-19 pandemic has shifted the schedule around with Tour Championship in early September followed later that month by the US Open. The Masters is set for the second week of November.

The tournament’s best-ever player, Jack Nicklaus, believes this will suit the Northern Irishman.

‘I feel like there’s anticipation going to Augusta the first big event of the year. There’s all this hype,’ said the World No 1.

‘I don’t think it’ll feel like that this year, I think it’ll feel a little bit different, which I’m looking forward to. It’s going to be a different Masters and personally, selfishly, maybe that’s what I need to get the jacket.’

The change in date bring about different course conditions.

‘November is going to be different. It’s going to be cold. The course can play very long. I mean, it plays long already, but it could play very long. The greens might not be as fast as they usually are in April, depending on the moisture,’ McIlroy said.

‘Obviously, they can do whatever they want with the course with SubAir and everything, but I think it’ll be a different feel as well. It’s the back end of the year as two of the majors have already been played — hopefully, the Ryder Cup’s already been played. People might be in their routines and in their flow a little bit.’

McIlroy needs The Masters to close out his career grandslam.