Tiger Woods is confident Rory McIlroy will eventually join him as one of only a handful of golfers to win a Career Grand Slam – and feels it could even happen this week at Augusta.
McIlroy looked set to take over from Woods as golf’s next major superstar after winning four titles in the space of three years.
He’s finished in the top-10 in majors 20 times since his last victory in 2014 with several near-misses at the Masters.
Augusta remains the only major to have evaded McIlroy so far despite his impressive record around the course.
Tiger Woods is confident Rory McIlroy will win the Masters at some point
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But Woods is convinced that McIlroy will eventually get over the line and pull on the famous green jacket.
Woods is one of only five male players to win the Career Grand Slam with Woods and Jack Nicklaus winning each major at least three times.
McIlroy has struggled for form this year, but Woods doesn’t see any reason why the 34-year-old can’t get it done this week.
“No question, he’ll do it at some point,” Woods said.
“He’s just — Rory’s too talented, too good.
“He’s going to be playing this event for a very long time.
“He’ll get it done. It’s just a matter of when.
“But, yes, I think that Rory will be a great Masters champion one day, and it could be this week.
“You never know. I just think that just, again, the talent that he has, the way he plays game and the golf course fits his eye, it’s just a matter of time.”
Tiger Woods feels Rory McIlroy could win this week
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Woods’ prediction follows on from Sir Nick Faldo, who feels McIlroy still has another decade of opportunities to win the green jacket.
When asked whether he feels McIlroy, who turns 35 next month, is running out of time, Faldo said: “I disagree.
“The game has changed. We have brought the physical element in and we understand the physical side.
“It was always 30-35 when you were in your prime and he is still in his prime. They are so fit and trained now so he has got at least another 10 years I would say of being supersonically fit.
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Rory McIlroy has come close to winning the Masters on multiple occasions
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“I still think the problem is times gone by. We are nearly 10 years now since his last major. That is the problem.
“Unfortunately it’s just going on, time after time. It’s not just this season. There’s four or five or six years of scar tissue now, of Rory coming in as favourite, playing great.
“He has tried his best at times. ‘Can I re-set, can I literally forget the past, who I am? Look how talented I am and go and play golf again’. It is not that easy. Can you turn back the clock? Can you delete all the negativity that you have seen and felt?
“I think there is a way where he could find his stride because, as we know, when he finds that stride and gets that trust, then he is phenomenal. I bet that is all he wants to do – just set me free.”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
