EXCLUSIVE: American coach Butch Harmon worked with Ulsterman Rory McIlroy before Augusta last year and claims the world No.2 is now ready to complete his career Grand Slam
Rory McIlroy now has the short-iron game to win the Masters after learning his lessons from last year, Butch Harmon has claimed. The Ulsterman turned to the American swing coach for emergency help with his approach play before the first Major of the season last year.
The world No.2 finished tied 22nd – 15 shots behind winner and world No.1 Scottie Scheffler. But Harmon reckoned McIlroy’s form this season – and the 9-iron he nailed in the playoff at The Players – showed he has eliminated the final weakness in his game.
“I think he has got a great chance this year,” said the Sky Sports analyst. “You saw how well he has played in the last few weeks. He has already won twice.
“What I worked on with him was shots from 150 yards in. He was hitting the ball left all the time. I wanted him to follow through and take the ball out of the air a little bit.
“An example of all the work we did was when he won in the playoff at Jacksonville. That shot he hit on the 17th hole in the playoff into the wind, a flighted down 9-iron. It was just perfect.
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“That is really what I worked on with him. The rest of his game was fine. He has gone on and done the work himself and he has done a good job.
“He is the only one to have won twice this year. Him and SS are going to be the co–favourites because Scheffler played well last week.
“You look at how they are playing going into this thing. Rory has already won twice, he had a good final round at Houston where he had a run at it. I think he is in good stead.”
But Harmon, now 81, said he saw up close how tense McIlroy got in the build-up to the Masters last year. “He wants it so bad, he just has to relax when he gets there,” said the American.
“It got to him last year – you could see it in his demeanour and how quickly he walked. Even in his warm-up, things weren’t as calmed down.
He needs to relax, take it easy, don’t push, don’t get all wrapped up in the hoopla, he is going to have to do a lot of media. If he can just relax and play his game, he is going to have a hell of a chance.”
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