US TOUR HONDA CLASSIC: TREVOR IMMELMAN insists Rory McIlroy has a chance to succeed him as US Masters champion next month – if he can show he possesses the X-factor.
South African Immelman won last April on his seventh visit to Augusta and, as a keen historian on the game, knows Fuzzy Zoeller is the only debutant to lift the title since 1935.
But when asked about the chances of 19-year-old McIlroy, he said: “It’s definitely not impossible. Fuzzy Zoeller did it in 1979, and although Tiger (Woods) had played three times as an amateur it was his first as a pro when he won in 1997.
“Obviously there’s going to be a lot of pressure on him and he’s going to have feelings that he has not had before, mentally and emotionally.
“He has all the physical talents, but there are a whole host of guys who do and there’s a little bit of an X-factor in doing something great in sport.
“Players find that out when the moment arises and time will tell whether he has that little X-factor.”
McIlroy played his first professional event in America only last week and reached the quarter-finals of the WGC-Accenture Matchplay before losing to eventual winner Geoff Ogilvy.
Now in Florida for the Honda Classic, which starts today, he is already ranked 16th in the world, and stablemate Ernie Els has gone on as record as saying he could be the next number one.
McIlroy goes off the first tee at 7.52pm Irish time in the company of Americans Heath Slocum and Brandt Jobe.
Darren Clarke is also in the field, and the Dungannon man will be hoping he can return from a competitive break refreshed and show a return to some form.
Clarke will play the back nine first, starting at 1.21pm Irish time, with Darren Nitties and James Barnes.
Els is the defending champion.
Honda Classic
Venue– PGA National Resort and Spa's Champion Course, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Par: 70 (7,158 yards).
Purse: €4.4 million, winner gets €787,000.
Defending champion: Ernie Els.
On TV: Setanta Golf (from 8pm)
