FOUR-TIME major winner Rory Mcllroy says "he is fine with not winning the Masters in Augusta and that he is more relaxed about it".
The Hollywood native's win in Florida would allow him to complete golf's Grand Slam, but he now states that he is more relaxed about conquering the world famous golf course this month.
The 32-year-old has has six top-10 finishes in 13 appearances at the Masters, but missed the cut last year
Mcllroy, like other golfers, has been practicing at Augusta this week before the eventual tournament gets underway on Thursday.
The golfer spoke to Irish media outlet RTÉ Sport and mentioned that he needs to stop being his harshest critic ahead of the opener.
He nearly won the event in 2015. He shot a final-round 66 to finish fourth at 12 under, but Jordan Spieth won it outright.
Rory McIlroy has no issues with a quiet start to the week. #themasters pic.twitter.com/ohv9eJ5UcG
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 5, 2022
McIlroy feels that he won't make the same mistake again, if presented with a chance to win it again.
"I guess if I find myself in that position again, be it this year or years down the line, I think being OK with not winning is not a bad thing," he said.
"I think sometimes the fear of losing can cripple you and make you tentative and not play the golf you want to play.
"So actually confronting that fear and thinking ‘I’m going to play my game and if I play that game I’ll have a great chance to win’ and if it doesn’t happen it doesn’t happen.
"I’ve had 13 years in a row of it not happening so I feel like I don’t have much to lose at this point."
He also fully believes that the course suits his game and that playing smart could go along way
"For a lot of people outside looking in, this golf tournament was possibly my best chance of winning a Major, just with the way the golf course is set up, the ball flight that I hit and the way I play the game," he said.
"That’s easier said than done, there’s a lot that goes into it.
"It’s about discipline. I have so much belief in my ability that it tempts me into hitting shots I don’t need to hit.
"I think that’s the thing around Augusta that you have to be so disciplined and really happy with hitting it into the hearts of the greens, making pars, moving on and picking up a couple of birdies here and there.
"I’ll always make birdies, that’s not the problem. The problem is keeping the mistakes and numbers off the card, the big numbers.
"That’s sort of my focus this week, just being a little bit more conservative, a little more patient and if I can do that and still pick off the par 5s like I know that I can, that’s a recipe for success around this place."
Seamus Power, Padraig Harrington, Rory Mcllroy and Shane Lowry will begin their quest tomorrow to become Ireland's first winner of the event. https://t.co/R8JAtFzFDL
— Irish Post Sport (@IrishPostSport) April 6, 2022
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