Rory McIlroy insists he’s centered on claiming his third win of the yr within the Texas Kids’s Houston Open, regardless of the Masters looming ever nearer.
McIlroy made his annual journey to Augusta Nationwide following his victory within the Gamers Championship at Sawgrass, which got here six weeks after he kicked off his PGA Tour season by profitable the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am.
TEXAS ON HIS MIND
The world quantity two needed another aggressive begin earlier than his newest try and win the Masters and full the profession grand slam and has opted for a primary Houston Open look since 2014 as an alternative of subsequent week’s Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.
“I simply wish to get a card in my hand and shoot scores and hopefully get myself in rivalry and attempt to win one other golf event,” McIlroy advised a pre-tournament press convention.
“It’s not as if I’m taking part in right here this week and eager about two weeks’ time. I’m right here, I’m within the current, I’m attempting to do my greatest this week and attempting to win this golf event.
“I’m clearly taking part in nicely, I wish to maintain taking part in nicely, so I believe each spherical you play the place you see good belongings you’re form of filling up that confidence bucket a bit of bit, so I wish to see that.
“It was nice to get a win a pair weeks in the past however I nonetheless really feel I may have performed rather a lot higher. I attempted to poke holes in numerous my recreation final week and take into consideration issues I may do higher, and there have been positively issues that I may work on or do higher.
“It’s a great alternative to exit and see if a few of the work I did at house and I’m persevering with to do right here, hopefully it’s all stepping into the precise route.”
AUGUSTA VISIT
McIlroy’s latest journey to Augusta allowed him to evaluate the state of the course following the injury brought on by Hurricane Helene final autumn, with 4 greens – together with the sixteenth – having additionally been relaid.
“The loss of some bushes is certainly noticeable, they’ve needed to redo that [16th] inexperienced however it’s precisely the identical as what it was,” McIlroy added.
“The outlet will play… aside from possibly a number of much less shadows on the inexperienced late within the day due to a few bushes that have been misplaced, however aside from that, it’s just about the identical.”
Defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, who’s in search of a 3rd inexperienced jacket within the house of 4 years, can be within the subject in Houston, the place his second place final yr got here in between 4 victories.
