Rory focused on Houston Open as Masters comes into view – Golf News

Rory McIlroy insists he’s centered on claiming his third win of the 12 months within the Texas Kids’s Houston Open, regardless of the Masters looming ever nearer.

McIlroy made his annual journey to Augusta Nationwide following his victory within the Gamers Championship at Sawgrass, which got here six weeks after he kicked off his PGA Tour season by successful the AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am.

TEXAS ON HIS MIND

The world quantity two needed another aggressive begin earlier than his newest try to win the Masters and full the profession grand slam and has opted for a primary Houston Open look since 2014 as a substitute of subsequent week’s Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.

“I simply wish to get a card in my hand and shoot scores and hopefully get myself in rivalry and attempt to win one other golf event,” McIlroy instructed a pre-tournament press convention.

“It’s not as if I’m taking part in right here this week and serious about two weeks’ time. I’m right here, I’m within the current, I’m attempting to do my finest this week and attempting to win this golf event.

“I’m clearly taking part in properly, I wish to maintain taking part in properly, so I feel each spherical you play the place you see good stuff you’re kind of filling up that confidence bucket a little bit bit, so I wish to see that.

“It was nice to get a win a pair weeks in the past however I nonetheless really feel I might have performed lots higher. I attempted to poke holes in lots of my recreation final week and take into consideration issues I might do higher, and there have been positively issues that I might work on or do higher.

“It’s an excellent alternative to exit and see if a few of the work I did at house and I’m persevering with to do right here, hopefully it’s all getting into the best path.”

AUGUSTA VISIT

McIlroy’s latest journey to Augusta allowed him to evaluate the state of the course following the harm brought on by Hurricane Helene final autumn, with 4 greens – together with the sixteenth – having additionally been relaid.

“The loss of some timber is certainly noticeable, they’ve needed to redo that [16th] inexperienced however it’s precisely the identical as what it was,” McIlroy added.

“The outlet will play… aside from perhaps just a few much less shadows on the inexperienced late within the day due to a few timber that have been misplaced, however aside from that, it’s just about the identical.”

Defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, who’s in search of a 3rd inexperienced jacket within the house of 4 years, can be within the discipline in Houston, the place his second place final 12 months got here in between 4 victories.