Rory McIlroy aiming to be ‘complete player’

• Rory McIlroy reflects on ‘most important day of my career’
• Says achieving the grand slam would make him a ‘complete player’
• Golf course has been 25-year-old’s ‘sanctuary’ amid off-course issues

World No.1 and Masters favourite Rory McIlroy has reflected on the 2011 tournament as the ‘most important day of my career’ as he bids to become the first European player to win a grand slam.

The 25-year-old shot a final round of 80 as he blew a four-shot overnight lead but hailed the importance of that experience and following the disappointment up with a win at the US Open two months later.

In an exclusive interview with BBC Northern Ireland, Rory McIlroy said: “I think it was the most important day of my career. If I didn’t have the whole unraveling and maybe just had a couple of bogeys down the stretch and lost by one, I wouldn’t have learned as much.

“But for it to all come apart as it did, I learned an awful lot; about myself, my game and what I needed to do differently the next time I was in that position. Luckily it didn’t take me long to get back into the position of leading a major and I was able to get over the line pretty comfortably. So, it was a huge day in my career. I needed it, I really did.”

Two US PGA Championship titles and a win at last year’s Open have followed for Rory McIlroy, meaning the Masters is the final tournament he has to win to become the sixth player after Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tiger Woods to win a career grand slam.

And while the Northern Irishman acknowledges the test Augusta will provide, he admits he would look back on his career with some disappointment if he fails to win the Masters at some point.

“There’s something special I can achieve at Augusta this year. To put my name among those players who have won a career slam, you’re a complete player then because they’re on different golf courses, different tests, different conditions,” Rory McIlroy said.

“If I was to look back as a 60-year-old on my career and not have won a green jacket, obviously I’ll be very, very disappointed” – Rory McIlroy

“If I don’t win it this year, you know, it can happen but if I was to look back as a 60-year-old on my career and not have won a green jacket, obviously I’ll be very, very disappointed. It’s the only one I’ve got left and not just that, I feel as though it’s a golf course I can do very well at and win multiple times on.”

As a result of his unrivalled success on the course over the past few years, the media attention surrounding Rory McIlroy has rocketed, aided by issues off the course such as his split from tennis star Caroline Wozniacki and the legal battle with former management firm Horizon Sports Management.

Despite those issues, McIlroy believes his golf game has benefitted, seeing the course as his ‘sanctuary’.

He said: “With all the distractions and everything that’s went on off the golf course over the past 12 months, the course was my sanctuary where I could get inside the ropes, get away from everything and just not have to think about it in the four-five hours I’m out there.

“It helped. I was looking forward to getting to the golf course and playing and practicing and it’ll be the same at Augusta. There’ll be so much hype and build-up and talk about what could happen.

“I know I won’t be able to wait until Thursday morning or afternoon just to get on the golf course and play golf.”

Rory McIlroy at the Masters :: Your thoughts

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