AUGUSTA, Ga. — As Rory McIlroy pushed his tee into the bottom within the first tee field at Augusta Nationwide on Thursday morning, he felt his proper hand shake.
It was a well-recognized feeling, however one which he welcomed with open arms on this specific day, his first aggressive spherical on the Masters since incomes his coveted victory and profession Grand Slam final yr.
“I used to be anxious, similar to I all the time am. I am grateful that I felt the identical manner. … I might be involved if I did not really feel that manner, as a result of it positively nonetheless means one thing to me,” McIlroy stated. “That is good. That is why we need to be right here. We would like to have the ability to play our greatest golf once we really feel like that.”
McIlroy did not play his finest golf within the opening spherical by his requirements, however he nonetheless used a mixture of persistence and freedom to play the 18 holes, leading to a 5-under 67, a powerful exhibiting that tied him for the opening lead with Sam Burns, and his worst opening spherical on the Masters since 2011.
“I did not hit the ball very properly within the first seven holes and it was tentative and slightly bit guiding right here at occasions,” McIlroy stated. “I saved swinging, believing that I might ultimately discover it. So possibly it was slightly totally different.”
Regardless of hitting solely 5 of 14 fairways, McIlroy confirmed he is aware of precisely tips on how to rating round right here, birdieing the thirteenth and fifteenth holes although he hit his drives into and behind the Augusta pines, and likewise birdied the 14th gap. It was a gap I performed over par final yr.
McIlroy stated he felt 2 underneath was an inexpensive rating given the best way he was hitting the ball, but it surely was clear he by no means panicked or tried too onerous regardless of hitting wayward photographs.
Final yr, he obtained off to a superb begin, however was hampered by a double bogey on Nos. 15 and 17, ending the opening spherical at even par. This yr, it looks as if the steering wheel that I have been gripping so onerous for over 10 years now feels extra comfy to regulate.
“There are some photographs that also really feel slightly tight. You simply need to stand up and concentrate on making a superb swing and never fear about the place it is truly going to go,” McIlroy stated. “However I believe figuring out that on the finish of the day I can go to the Champions locker room, placed on a inexperienced jacket and drink a Coke Zero makes it simpler to take a swing and never have to fret about the place I’m going.”
Like altering gears in a automotive, McIlroy confirmed he is aware of when to be aggressive and when to tread rigorously. Earlier this week, he stated the discomfort he felt enjoying Nos. 7, 14 and 17 from the tee final yr led him to decide on a extra aggressive strategy. He hit driver as an alternative of a 3-wood on all three holes Thursday and completed at 1 underneath.
“I believe it took me some time to get to the purpose of simply specializing in the method and simply not making extra errors like I did immediately, making an attempt to be the hero by hitting the bushes, making good selections, strolling across the golf course and considering,” McIlroy stated. “I believe that is the expectation I’ve for myself. And if I can dwell as much as that expectation, the scores and outcomes ought to care for themselves.”
In some methods, this opener regarded just like the triumphant stroll McIlroy did not get final yr, when he rescued himself from the brink of defeat and needed to win in a tense playoff matchup with Justin Rose. On Thursday, surrounded by the most important gallery of the day and a standing ovation on practically each inexperienced, McIlroy tipped his hat and quietly acknowledged the spectacle.
Greater than that, he delivered a spherical worthy of the title and a spherical that planted essential storylines for the remainder of the week. May he grow to be the primary participant since Tiger Woods to win back-to-back inexperienced jackets?
“I stated this once I got here to the sport on Tuesday,” the five-time main champion stated. “I believe in case you win the Masters, it is going to be simpler to win the second Masters.”
