Masters 2014: Rory McIlroy’s in the mood but Adam Scott is also feeling good

 
Kevin Garside10 April 2014

In the absence of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy heads the betting to win the Masters for the first time.

Though he has yet to triumph this year, the horrors of 2013 are firmly behind him. He has posted three top‑10s in the five PGA Tour events played this year, including a second at the Honda Classic. He says he has never been in better shape, mentally, technically or physically, boasting a personal best squat lift of 130kg last week.

“There are no excuses if I don’t play well,” he said. “Everything’s in the right place to allow me to do that. So it’s just a matter of managing my expectations, not getting ahead of myself, not thinking about Sunday when it’s Friday afternoon, trying to take it one shot at a time and, hopefully, those shots add up to about 270 on Sunday and I walk away with a green jacket.”

Only three people have retained one of those, Jack Nicklaus, Woods and Sir Nick Faldo. Now Adam Scott, having become the first Australian to win the Masters, says he is ready to join the exclusive club that came back to successfully defend it.

Last time out at Bay Hill he went into the weekend seven shots clear. Though he didn’t win, his final day collapse was more to do with concentration than mental frailty. Three weeks honing his game in the Bahamas has, he claims, brought him to a fresh peak.

“The game was there at Bay Hill,” Scott said. “Hopefully, I’ve sharpened it up a little since then. I’m definitely feeling a lot more comfortable around this course, especially after winning. The confidence you take from that helps. I don’t know why there are only a couple who have repeated their performances but I’d like to add my name to that list this week.”

The American heart is set, as ever, on Phil Mickelson. The three-time winner broke his Major duck here 10 years ago and counts the Masters as his favourite tournament. After an injury scare that saw him withdraw from the Texas Open a fortnight ago he proved his fitness with a top 10-finish in Houston last week.

“It’s a magical place to begin with,” said Mickelson, who pulled an abdominal muscle in Texas. “But the feeling that comes over me as I drive down Magnolia Lane is I don’t have to play perfect to play well here, because I can recover from mistakes.

“And if I do hit a number of good shots, I’m able to make birdies. This has always been a course that I felt comfortable on and I’ve played some of my best golf here. This is a week that I care about the most, a special tournament, and I have to rely on past performances, past successes, past memories to build confidence.”

There are six amateurs in the field, including the youngest competitor, 19-year-old Matt Fitzpatrick from Sheffield, the only Englishman to win the US Amateur championship in 102 years. Today he goes out with Scott and the US PGA champion Jason Dufner hoping to make the cut.

“It’s just amazing to be here,” said Fitzpatrick. “The course and the place itself are just fantastic. There’s nowhere in the world like it. And to sort of stay level headed this week, I’ve got my family around me all week, staying in a house with them. Got my coach here, as well, so spending some time with those guys, I’m sure they will keep me grounded,” he said.

Craig and Kevin Stadler, the first father and son combination to contest the same Masters tournament, were kept separate in the draw for the opening two days. Kevin is in the second group out with former winner Ian Woosnam and John Huh, while dad, the winner here in 1982, accompanies Martin Kaymer and Scott Stallings 45 minutes later.

Other featured groups include Mickelson, Ernie Els and Justin Rose, and Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia and 2012 champion Bubba Watson.

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