Newly-crowned Open champion Rory McIlroy is planning to enlist the help of the official marker of Augusta National Golf Club to win his first Masters next year, and become only the sixth player in history to complete a grand slam of winning all four majors.
McIlroy played with Jeff Knox as his marker in the third round this year after becoming the last player to make the cut, and despite shooting a one-under par 71 on Saturday of the Masters, he was beaten by one shot by the 51-year-old.
Knox is a member of Augusta National Golf Club and holds the course record of 11-under par 61 from the member’s tee. McIlroy was immensely impressed by his game, especially his ability to read the Augusta National greens.
A marker keeps the professional’s scorecard and helps keep the pace of play at a normal rate but Knox played with McIlroy this year due to there being an odd number of players who made the cut.
Knox has previously played with Keegan Bradley, Bubba Watson, Craig Stadler and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
And after winning the Open at Royal Liverpool by two shots on Sunday, McIlroy said he was looking forward to his trip to Augusta National next year.
“I am really looking forward to it,” said McIlroy when asked how he felt about his game at the hallowed golf course. “I’m getting more comfortable. I’ve always been comfortable from tee to green at Augusta.
“It’s just taken me a few years to figure out the greens and figure out where you need to miss it and some different little shots that you might need that week. I’ll be going into Augusta next year pretty confident. I just need to figure out the greens a little bit more.
“What really helped me last year was playing with Jeff Knox in the third round.
“He was my amateur marker and he’s the best I’ve ever seen on Augusta’s greens. I might have to take a couple of trips up before it next year and have a couple of practice rounds with him.”
The last player to complete a career grand slam was Tiger Woods when he won the Open in 2000. But that came 34 years after the previous golfer, Jack Nicklaus, had achieved the feat. The other three men who have written their name into history are Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player.
McIlroy pointed out two crucial moments in recent times as key to his resurgence to form which helped him win the Open – rectifying an alignment problem with his putter that he found out at The Masters, and missing the cut at last year’s Open at Muirfield.
“It was a huge turning point,” said McIlroy of his putting alignment. “I remember it well, the sixth green in Augusta on Sunday. I just lined it up and knew it was wrong.
“Now, I always spend about 15 or 20 minutes on this putting mirror before I go out to play. I go to the putting green and keep a mirror behind my putter.
“It’s become a routine now. That mirror has been a big help for me just to fix my alignment. Ever since then, I’ve putted very well.
“And after Muirfield, I was very disappointed on missing the cut. I put in a lot of extra work in. I practiced a lot of different shots that I might need.”
McIlroy is next scheduled to play the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in the first week of August, an event he is still to win.
