Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson believes execution and not completing the career Grand Slam will be Rory McIlroy’s biggest mental challenge at Augusta next week.
Mickelson won his first green jacket at his 12th attempt in 2004 while Sergio Garcia, who will be making his 100th Major appearance next week, set the record by winning in his 19th Masters start in 2017.
Only four players have taken 13 tries or more to win the Masters, and while McIlroy will be making his 17th attempt this year, with the possibility of completing the career Grand Slam adding to the expectation, Mickelson does not see that burden as his biggest challenge.
“Yeah, that’s challenging,” Mickelson said of the expectations on McIlroy’s shoulders as he prepared for the Masters at LIV Golf Miami.
“But he’s done it so many times in his ability to win tournaments. He’s been able to compartmentalise that. I don’t think that’s going to be an issue for him.
“I think he drives the ball so long and straight that he has a huge advantage on that golf course. He and about 20 guys that drive it like he does will have an advantage of playing it a certain way.
“They can play it a certain way that is much more aggressive and take advantage of holes than some others; than guys like myself. But you still have to execute, you still have to hit the shots, and I think that’s what he’s focused on.
“I think his ability to compartmentalise all the things that have transpired in the past is a strength of his, so I don’t think it’ll be an issue or I don’t think that’s what’s holding him back from winning the Masters.”
Making it to Augusta is the goal for 120 of the 147-man field playing this week’s Valero Texas Open.
The winner will earn the final spot in the Masters field, which is the goal for Séamus Power and Pádraig Harrington at TPC San Antonio.
While Harrington (53) was tenth just two years ago, he hasn’t won an event on the PGA Tour since 2015, while Power has missed the cut in his last three appearances there.
Sara Byrne makes her second LET appearance of the season in the Joburg Ladies Open at Modderfontein Golf Club alongside Annabel Wilson and Lauren Walsh.
Her former Curtis Cup teammate Beth Coulter (21) fought back from bogeys at her first two holes to open with a level par 72 in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat.
She birdied the ninth, 12th and 14th before following a bogey at the 16th with a par at the 18th in her quest to make the top 30 and ties after 36 holes who qualify for Saturday’s final round at Augusta.
The Kirkistown Castle star was tied for 30th, nine shots behind Stanford’s Megha Ganne, who opened with a bogey-free, nine-under 63 to lead by two shots from defending champion Lottie Woad.
Ganne’s bogey-free opening round is the lowest round in Augusta National Women’s Amateur history. The round, which included seven birdies and an eagle at the par-5 third hole, bested a record set by former Stanford teammate Rose Zhang (65 in 2023).
“I think it was just a really good day, Ganne said. “Great timing to have — this is my career low in a golf tournament, so I had a feeling I was going to go low today, but not this low. So I’m just trying to enjoy it.”
At Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, an out of sorts Leona Maguire lost 6&5 to Canada’s Brooke Henderson in her first round-robin match in the T-Mobile Match Play.
