GOLF TOUR NEWS:RORY McILROY will become "the boy in the bubble" if he finds himself in contention for major titles in the future. McIlroy looked set to win the Masters on Sunday when he took a four-shot lead into the final round at Augusta, only to slump to a closing 80.
And the 21-year-old from Northern Ireland feels he has learnt some valuable lessons on how to cope if a similar situation arises. “It is very hard to keep yourself in the present and not think about winning or putting on that green jacket or walking up the last with a two or three-shot lead,” McIlroy said.
“You need to keep that out of your mind. I did that for the most part. If I was giving advice I’d say don’t read newspapers, don’t look at the TV or anything like that.
“It’s easy to say he’s got a four-shot lead and if he keeps doing what he is doing he’ll win, but it is a lot easier said than done.
“My advice would be almost put yourself in a bubble and don’t let outside factors influence anything, whether that be newspaper articles, TV or anything.”
McIlroy had a long time to reflect on what went wrong at Augusta, joining Masters champion and stablemate Charl Schwartzel on a long journey from Georgia to Kuala Lumpur for this week’s Maybank Malaysian Open.
“It was a long journey here from Augusta. It probably took us about 30 hours but I’m feeling okay,” McIlroy told a pre-tournament press conference yesterday.
“I’m trying to get back in the saddle and put everything that happened last week behind me and I’m looking forward to getting going. When you travel like that you have a lot of time to reflect. I’m really just looking at the positives.
“I led that golf tournament for 63 holes. That’s all I can look at. Everyone is going to have bad days. Mine just happened probably on the most important day of my golfing career. I’m a very positive person and I know I’ll get over it. I’ll learn from it. When I get myself back in that position if I have really learned from it, it won’t happen again.”
Despite being staged straight after the year’s first major, the tournament has attracted a quality field which also features world number one Martin Kaymer and Open champion Louis Oosthuizen.
“I was always going to come here,” McIlroy added. “At the start of the year I knew Martin would be playing and Charl and Louis. It’s going to be a great field. I’m excited to get out playing again.
“The conditions will be a lot different. The humidity, the greens will be different than what I’ve putted on the last few weeks. They’ll be grainy and a lot slower. The opposition this week is tough.
“I’ve got to get over the jet-lag too so there is a lot to deal with. I’m excited to get out there, though. Hopefully, that will take over. I’ve the enthusiasm for getting out there and that will be enough.”
McIlroy must have thought things could not get any worse after his Augusta meltdown. However, after his arduous journey, the Northern Irishman arrived yesterday to find his clubs had not made the journey.
“It hasn’t happened often, its one of these things you can’t help it, going through so many timezones and so many connecting flights your bags are going to get lost sometimes,” said McIlroy.
“Hopefully they turn up tonight and I’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
“I feel like I’m playing really well at the minute,” said McIlroy. “It showed for the first three days of Augusta anyway that the game is there. Hopefully, instead of doing it for three days like last week I can do it for four days this week.
“I don’t think I need to change anything, just be a little calmer and a little patient on Sunday and hopefully that will be enough,” added the laid-back world number nine, sporting natty, black-rimmed, square glasses and training shoes.
First-time major winner Schwartzel profited most from McIlroy’s Masters meltdown but the pair enjoyed an amicable long-haul flight together.
“It was fine,” he smiled when asked if being in the presence of the Green Jacket was a cruel ending to his Masters misery.
“I’ve known Charl a long time and I’m happy for him, genuinely, he played great on Sunday. To go out and shoot 66 on the final day of the Masters to win was a great performance.”
Was he not slightly tempted to slip on the Green Jacket as the South African slept on the plane? “No way, I wouldn’t want to do that. The only way that Green Jacket is going over my shoulders is if I win it for myself.”
There was some good news when he arrived in Kuala Lumpur, however, when he learned his beloved Manchester United had beaten Chelsea to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. “When I landed this morning I saw they had gotten through and that’s a big bonus, that will give me something to look forward to over the next couple of weeks.”
Malaysian Open
Course:Kuala Lumpur GC (West Course)
Length:7,000 yards. Par: 72.
Prizemoney:€1.73 million, €288,465 for the winner
Field:156.
Layout:Course has been toughened up with extra bunkers added and tees pushed back to add more length. Water comes into play on about 10 holes.
Last year:18-year-old Seung-yul Noh beat compatriot KJ Choi by one shot.
On TV:Sky Sports.
Weather:Hot with intense humidity and thunderstorms.
