Rory McIlroy has had a disappointing year (Image: Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy has been tipped to win the Masters by Billy Horschel, who was backed up by Tiger Woods, as the Northern Irishman continues his career Grand Slam pursuit
Billy Horschel has joined Tiger Woods in backing Rory McIlroy’s bid to finally clinch a Masters victory and secure the coveted career Grand Slam.
McIlroy, who bagged all four of his major titles between 2011 and 2014, including The Open Championship, US Open, and two PGA Championshipsthe last being over a decade ago at Valhalla Golf Clubhas yet to capture the elusive green jacket despite 16 attempts at Augusta National.
The absence of this title has long cast a shadow over the 35 year old golfer, but PGA Tour competitor Horschel is optimistic about McIlroy’s prospects. “I hope so, for Rory’s sake,” Horschel expressed regarding McIlroy’s chances of triumphing at the Masters and completing the Grand Slam.
“I know too well no one deserves anything in this game, but you look at what Rory has done in the game of golf, he deserves to win golf’s Grand Slam. Of course, you could say the same about Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, and the likes of Phil Mickelson. I just feel that it would be great to see someone like Rory achieve the feat.”
“I’ve seen Tiger [Woods] achieve such a milestone but then to have someone that I know as well and as admire like Rory, would be unbelievable.”
These were the words of Horschel after he narrowly beat McIlroy in last month’s BMW PGA Championship playoff, adding another near-miss to the Northern Irishman’s season of ‘what ifs’.
McIlroy’s Grand Slam prospects have been rated highly not just by Horschel, but also by his good friend and business partner, Woods. Speaking at this year’s Masters, Woods said: “No question, he’ll do it at some point,” and “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. “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. “”.
McIlroy was understandably pleased to receive such high praise from arguably the greatest players in golf history. “It’s flattering. It’s nice to hear, in my opinion, the best player ever to play the game say something like that. Does that mean that it’s going to happen? Obviously not.
“But he’s been around the game long enough to know that I at least have the potential to do it. I know I’ve got the potential to do it too. It’s not as if I haven’t been a pretty good player for the last couple of decades. It’s nice to hear it when it comes out of his mouth.”
