Masters fever just grew louder. The likelihood that Augusta National will change into Rory Land in the middle of April has increased. With his second Players Championship win, Rory McIlroy may have timed his Masters run just right this time. He has never arrived at the year’s first major with two wins already secured.
On Monday, McIlroy placed a marker on this course and then promptly made a similar statement off of it. He remarked, “I think I am a better player now than I ever have been.”
McIlroy had to win this playoff game. He did not appear to be losing it. This match was over by the time JJ Spaun found water on the 17th, the second of three aggregate extra holes. Still, McIlroy slept through the night thinking about his matchup with a player who had come into the Players Championship ranked 57th in the world.
“I have not been that anxious in a long time as I did standing over that tee ball on 16 this morning,” McIlroy remarked. “So feeling that way and getting the shots I needed, even if your heart is pounding, your legs are a little wobbly, and your stomach is not feeling well … It is good to have that in recent memory for some of the upcoming tournaments, having had to endure it.
McIlroy is already thinking about Georgia. He made history by being the first European to win more than one Players Championship here.
He hit a drive nearly 340 yards down the fairway from that 16th tee. The day’s most remarkable shot, however, was his flighted nine-iron into the 17th. A combination of maturity and technical competence. Spaun had been tricked; he had seen the club McIlroy had selected and watched in shock as his own ball flew over the green and into waters rife with alligators. With one hole remaining, McIlroy was three ahead; the obese woman had cleared her throat.
What caused the anxiety earlier? “Maybe I did not realize how significant this tournament was back in 2019 [when he won his maiden Players title],” McIlroy remarked.
“Every year when we return to this tournament, everything keeps becoming better and bigger, from the course to the player and fan amenities. It is one of the largest championships in the world, but I do not want to call it that. That was a contributing factor.
“I really wanted to finish it last night, but I didn’t. Additionally, I am going out there with the expectation that I will win. That somehow creates pressure. I thought I managed those nerves quite effectively.
“Pressure is truly a privilege, as people often claim. On the course, you want to feel that way. That’s why I spend the time that I do practising and trying to master my craft, that you get yourself in those positions to see what you’re made of.”
Scottie Scheffler is fumbling for shape. Recovering from an injury is Xander Schauffele’s battle. It is unknown if Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau are competitive on the LIV circuit. Many people’s Masters pick, Ludvig Åberg, was overlooked here.
Rumor has claimed that this could be Mcllroy’s finest opportunity to reach the career grand slam and march with the greatest golfers of all time. He will continue to add one more event before Augusta, most likely the Houston Open, as per the pre-Players plan.
Spaun deserves a great deal of credit for first forcing further holes. He had won one PGA Tour title and was attempting to end a terrible streak of missed cuts a year ago. For Sawgrass’s comfort, Spaun has a Masters berth.
According to Spaun, “every great athlete talks about being in the moment, having the chance to win and wanting the ball, have the last pitch to win the World Series, or shoot the final shot or the final three.” “Those guys want the ball. Even though I didn’t win, I want the ball.”
But this was unquestionably McIlroy’s day. In appreciation for a job well done, his daughter Poppy gave dad a flower as he finished his media obligations. “As a child, I always looked forward to watching this event,” he remarked.
“To think that after visiting this place since 2009, I have now won this a few times … Rory, who is ten years old, would find this incredibly cool.
We might not have seen anything yet. Go, Magnolia Lane.
