The Masters: Butch Harmon backs Rory McIlroy to impress and Tiger Woods to surprise at Augusta
Rory McIlroy will become just the sixth player in history to complete the career Grand Slam if he wins The Masters this week; Watch all four rounds exclusively live from Augusta National on Sky Sports Golf
Thursday 6 April 2023 00:06, UK
Butch Harmon believes Rory McIlroy can live up to his billing as pre-tournament favourite and finally complete the career Grand Slam with victory at The Masters.
Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods said ahead of the tournament that it is just 'a matter of time' until the Northern Irishman prevails at The Masters, where McIlroy has posted top-10 finishes in half of his previous 14 appearances.
McIlroy's runner-up finish in last year's contest produced a dramatic change in form that has seen him win four times worldwide since, with Harmon backing the 33-year-old to handle the pressure and claim a long-awaited fifth major victory.
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"I love the way Rory is playing, the way he is swinging," Harmon told Sky Sports. "This place is made for him. He is a beautiful driver of a golf ball and seems to be putting better after switching models.
"I also think he has grown up a lot as a person and he has really matured as a golfer. If he gets an opportunity to win this time, I think he is ready to win.
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"Rory is the guy to beat, for me. I think it is his time and he will be a great champion. I think he is used to the pressure now, whereas I'm not sure he handled it in the past.
"He might tell you he did, but if he is being honest, I think he can handle it better now."
Can Tiger contend at The Masters?
McIlroy suggested after playing with Woods in a practice round on Monday that it was only mobility issues preventing the 15-time major champion from being a serious contender, while Harmon feels the 47-year-old can impress in just his second start since last summer.
"Tiger is swinging the club beautifully," Harmon added. "It's just whether he can handle the walk. Can his body handle 72 holes on these hills and all the things he has to deal with?
"He is hitting the ball long and has a lot of speed back but the walking is the tough part. I know he is in a lot of pain, you can see a bit of a limp. The fact he is even playing is amazing.
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"He wouldn't be playing if he didn't think he could win the thing, so I think Tiger is going to surprise a lot of people."
What do you need to succeed at Augusta?
Scottie Scheffler returns as defending champion after a three-shot victory in last year's contest, with the world No 1 looking to become the first back-to-back champion since Woods in 2002.
Rain, strong winds and cold temperatures are forecasted for later in the tournament, with Harmon expecting the weather to add another challenge to an already testing layout.
"You have to drive the ball good," Harmon explained. "If you drive good it makes the course a little bit easier, but the big secret is the greens. If you think when Tiger won in 1997, he never three-putted a green.
"There has only been one first-time winner, Fuzzy Zoeller. It is so hard when you have never been here before. There are so many nuances.
"You never really get a flat lie and it is more hilly than people think. With the greens, you very seldom shoot at a pin, you shoot at an area to take the ball down so you have to have complete control of your iron game, distance, and where you are landing the ball."
Watch The Masters throughout the week live on Sky Sports! Live coverage of the opening round begins on Thursday from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf, with a host of bonus feeds available via the red button.
