Ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship from January 19-22, world No 2 and four-time major winner Rory McIlroy tells John McAuley about his record at the event, the battle for golf’s top ranking and his hopes of prevailing at Augusta.
On his 2016 and how that impacts the 2017 major hunt
“As the majors generally define us at the end of our careers, it’s only natural that I’d want to add to that tally. That said, looking back at 2016, I definitely have to consider it as a success – I don’t believe in dwelling on what might have been. I ticked off another long-term goal by winning the FedEx Cup and picked up three wins worldwide, including the Irish Open – that was something I really wanted to accomplish. Admittedly, there was no success in the majors, having missed two cuts for the first time since 2010. In the other two, I finished in the top 10 without putting my best, so I have to continue to take positives from that. This year I’m looking forward to Abu Dhabi and hopefully go one step further and finally win that Falcon Trophy. I must be due one of these, right?”
On the drive to become a better golfer
“I don’t believe the desire to better myself has changed during my time as a professional golfer. Physical and technical elements will always be something I’ll want to improve, but I’ve always been ambitious and strived to be the best, and that’s not going to go away. In terms of elements of my game I needed to improve, I’ve embraced some changes with my putting. It’s no secret that I’ve been working with Phil Kenyon for the past couple of months, and I’m definitely feeling more confident and assertive over putts. I think I just need to stay patient and not beat myself up too much when things aren’t going my way. If I can do that, I can avoid making unnecessary mistakes and get myself in the hunt on a Sunday.”
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On going up against Dustin Johnson in Abu Dhabi
“Dustin had an incredible 2016 and was exceptionally hard to beat every time he played. Being able to challenge myself against world-class players like him at the start of the year is really important. It’s the drive I need to give the early part of the season a solid foundation. We saw Rickie [Fowler] take the title back to the US last year and I’ll be doing everything I can to stop Dustin making a habit of taking the trophy across the pond!”
On the competition for world No 1
“It really is a huge positive for the game that it’s so competitive week-in, week-out, and there are so many guys, Dustin included, capable of winning big events. But as many of us have found out recently, getting to world No 1 is no guarantee that it’s yours indefinitely. The likes of Dustin, Jordan [Spieth] and Jason [Day] have had a great run over the last few years, but I don’t worry too much about what they’re doing. If I can focus on my game and make sure I’m playing the best golf I can, I’m going to give myself numerous opportunities to collect more silverware. I’ve had some great results in Abu Dhabi in the past and hopefully I can start my year with a win and get myself closer to being world No 1 again.”
On handling the pre-US Masters hype
“Until I am able to get my hands on a Green Jacket, it will simply be part of the discussion and narrative in the run-up to the Masters. But, in all honesty, that’s fine by me. And, no, the world won’t end if I don’t win a Green Jacket, but the tournament has such kudos and stature that I’d really like a victory at Augusta on my CV. I’ve been one of the world’s top golfers for quite a while now and I feel that I’m learning more each year about the intricacies of Augusta National. Hopefully that will bear fruit in the not-too-distant future.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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