Rory McIlroy is well aware of the noise surrounding him as The Masters approaches, with the four-time major champion yet to win the event.
Peter Finch thinks McIlroy will win The Masters, with the Northern Irishman one of the most in-form players going into the tournament.
He already has two PGA Tour wins to his name this season, with Scottie Scheffler well behind McIlroy in that he has failed to win any thus far.
McIlroy has been told he doesn’t need to be perfect to win at Augusta, a venue in which his best finish came via second place in 2022.
World number one Scheffler secured the green jacket that year, with the American repeating that feat in 2024.
Rory McIlroy pinpoints improvement from start to finish ahead of The Masters
But McIlroy is full of confidence ahead of Thursday’s start, with the 35-year-old telling BBC Sport Northern Ireland: “I played great at Pebble Beach. Had to do it the hard way at Sawgrass, coming back on the Monday and playing in tough conditions.
“Those are great confidence builders, they are validations of the stuff I worked on at the end of last year and it shows me my game is on the right track.
“Every year I come back with the goal of winning this tournament and after the start I’ve had this year I don’t feel like I’ve ever been in better form coming into this week. I’m happy to be here and I’m excited to get going.
“I understand the narrative and the noise. There is a lot of anticipation and build-up coming into this tournament each and every year, but I just have to keep my head down and focus on my job.
“Mentally it’s one of the most demanding venues we play all year. Here and the US Open are probably the two you have to take an extra second or two to think about what you’re doing, make sure you’re making the right decision, playing the right shot.
“You have to be on the whole time from first tee shot to last putt on Sunday, and I feel like I’ve got better at doing that over the years.”
What are Rory McIlroy’s stats at The Masters?
McIlroy is all set for his 17th Masters start at Augusta, where the career Grand Slam once again on the cards.
He boasts a hugely impressive history at the tournament, with top 10 finishes in seven of his nine starts from 2014 to 2022.
| Tournaments entered | 16 |
| Rounds played | 58 |
| Cuts made | 13 |
| High round | 80 |
| Low round | 64 |
| Rounds under par | 34 |
| Scoring average | 71.60 |
| Best finish | 2 (2022) |
| Money won | $4,343,021 |
That includes that close call three years ago, when Scheffler edged out McIlroy by three shots in Georgia.
Another strong finish is on the cards for the Northern Irishman, but whether or not he can finally win an elusive fifth major remains to be seen.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
