Rory McIlroy has been told the Masters is his ‘nemesis’ and that he always struggles to overcome the challenging Augusta course. The world No. 2 has never won the Masters but goes into the tournament in good form.
McIlroy has gone more than 10 years without winning a major championship. His last victory was the PGA Championship in 2014. The 35-year-old has never won the Masters and would complete a career slam by triumphing this month. However, former golfer Brandel Chamblee has argued that McIlroy always seems to struggle at Augusta.
Rory McIlroy has been warned about the challenging Augusta course (Image: Getty)
“It is literally his nemesis,” Chamblee told Golf Digest. “It was his worst golf last year in the majors, his worst the year before, two years before that it was his worst golf. He annually underperforms there. He hits on average about 42 greens. On average, the winner hits about 52. There are things about that golf course that have been very problematic for him.”
Even when McIlroy finished second in 2022, he started the final day 10 shots off the lead and needed a huge upturn in form to come runner-up.
McIlroy recently won the Players Championship and there is a feeling across the sport that he could threaten the top spots at the Masters. However, he has played down his preparations by claiming that he has been suffering from a minor elbow injury.
The four-time major winner also hopes to iron out some of his weaknesses in the week before the Masters. He says he will be working with coach Michael Bannon and he is not entirely happy with his form.
Rory McIlroy was carrying an elbow injury after the Houston Open last week (Image: Getty)
Speaking after coming tied fifth at the Houston Open last week, McIlroy said: “I’ll get some treatment on that [elbow] and make sure that that’s okay going into Augusta. I’ve got my coach, Michael Bannon, coming in tomorrow, so we’ll be working at home and making sure [the] game feels good going into the Masters.
“I still feel like I’ve got some stuff to work on. I still don’t think my game is absolutely 100 per cent under the control like I would want, but it’s nice to have a week to work on some things.”
The Masters begins on April 10 and the winner will take home £2.7million ($3.6m).
