Rory McIlroy alters Masters approach while pursuing career Grand Slam

Rory McIlroy alters Masters approach while pursuing career Grand Slam

Rory McIlroy stood on the 17th green, waving his arms this way and that.

[...] he feigned a jump shot for England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, recreating the NCAA championship game from the night before.

“Unbelievable,” McIlroy said.

Hit it out of the rough, fairway bunkers, bunker shots.

For McIlroy, this is all part of a new plan to become the sixth player to complete the modern version of the Grand Slam.

The Masters is the only thing standing between him and the club to which only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tiger Woods belong.

McIlroy took his first shot at the Slam a year ago, only to be derailed by a sluggish start.

In hindsight, McIlroy acknowledges being a little overwhelmed by the moment.

“I think part of that was having so much expectation and thinking of the Grand Slam and thinking of the Masters and thinking of all this, whereas I needed to just take a step back and relax and go out and try to play my own game,” McIlroy said.