Rory McIlroy Keeping Tabs on Tiger Woods, Names Bubba Watson Masters Favourite
An advert was recently released showing a young Rory McIlroy forensically following the progress of Tiger Woods at a major championship. And things don’t look to have changed too much as the two players gear up for this week’s Masters at the Augusta National golf course, with the Irishman admitting he'll be keeping tabs on the golfing icon.
McIlroy will head down Magnolia Lane as the overwhelming favourite to notch a green jacket and a subsequent career grand slam, while the form of Woods—a 14-time major winner and four-time winner at Augusta—is something of a mystery after his hiatus from the game.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
But Rory has admitted that despite the indifferent form of the 39-year-old, he’ll be keeping a keen eye on the progress of his childhood hero and clearly isn’t concerned about the state of his game, per Neil McLeman of the Daily Mirror:
"Was I concerned for him? I mean, not really. It’s hard to be concerned for someone that’s already won 14 Majors and 80 PGA Tour events and earned over a billion dollars in his career. I think he’s done okay!
I had a good chat with him on the putting green today. He feels good. He’s been working hard. He’s got the motivation to keep at it, and just like everyone else, I’ll be looking for his score and seeing what he’s doing.
"
While Woods has typically hogged the spotlight in the build-up to major championships, the effervescent efforts of McIlroy have snatched some of the focus. Indeed, a stellar 2014 for the Northern Irishman in which he won two major titles, the Ryder Cup and restored his spot at the summit of the world rankings cemented his celestial golfing status.
The advert released this week served as a reminder of just how far the 25-year-old has come in his career to date:
The stock of McIlroy is undeniably on the rise, but for Woods, times are tough. The American is now ranked a lowly 111 in the world and while he’s set to tee off at Augusta this week, after two months away from the game nobody is quite sure what to expect from the four-time Masters winner.
As noted by SportsCenter, some success has been a long time coming for Woods now:
Ahead of the tournament getting underway, Woods has tipped Rory to land multiple Masters titles in his career:
The Nike-sponsored pairing remain the two most recognisable golfers on the planet and the crowds in attendance at Augusta will continue to gravitate to their respective groups. But in Bubba Watson, they have a fierce competitor for the green jacket and a player looking to make it three wins in four years at these championships.
So perhaps it was little surprise to see Rory name the reigning champion as the favourite for glory again this week, per McLeman’s piece:
"I’d say Bubba is. He’s won here two of the last three years. Perfect game for this course.
So if you’re looking at someone that will do well this week, I think Bubba is the main guy. Not trying to put any pressure on him or anything...
"
Two-time Masters winner Watson recently spoke to Bleacher Report’s Uninterrupted about how important his major wins have been in his career:
The fundamental skills of Watson and the incomparable experience of Woods will stand each of them in excellent stead, but ever since McIlroy hoisted the claret jug above his head at Hoylake last summer, everything seems to have been geared towards Augusta and securing a remarkable career grand slam.
The pressures that accompany his pursuit are enormous and McIlroy’s fourth-round collapse here in 2011 is an emphatic indicator of what those expectations can do. But four years on, the Ulsterman is a thoroughbred star and just as he has done with any obstacles over the past 12 months, expect him to take the challenge of triumphing at Augusta insouciantly in his stride.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
