Rory McIlroy works with Tiger Woods’ former coach Butch Harmon ahead of final Masters tune-up

WASHINGTON – Rory McIlroy said a lesson with veteran instructor Butch Harmon was a “really worthwhile trip” as he prepares for next week’s US Masters and another chance to complete a career Grand Slam.

The 34-year-old Northern Irishman spoke about his visit to see the former coach of Tiger Woods on April 3, the eve of the opening round of his final Masters tune-up, the Texas Open at TPC San Antonio.

“It was a really worthwhile trip and I feel like I’ve done some good work after that,” McIlroy said. “This is a good week to see where that work has gotten me.”

McIlroy’s fourth and last Major victory came at the PGA Championship 10 years ago, but capturing a Green Jacket next week at Augusta National would put him in select company. Only Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen have won each Major at least once in their careers.

World No. 2 McIlroy, a top-10 finisher in seven of the past 10 Masters, was runner-up to Scottie Scheffler in 2022.

McIlroy, who won the Dubai Desert Classic in January, was unsatisfied after two 21st-place showings and 19th spot at The Players Championship during three Florida stops, so he went to Las Vegas to visit Harmon, 80.

He said: “After The Players and just sort of struggling through that Florida Swing with my swing and with some of the misses I was having with my irons, I just thought to myself, ‘I’m obviously missing something here and I just would love to go and get a second opinion and have him take a look, a second set of eyes.

“The one thing with Butch is you go spend time with him and you’re always going to feel better about yourself at the end of it whether you’re hitting it better or not. He’s sort of half golf coach, half psychologist in a way.”

The change in routine helped McIlroy see some things in a new way.

“It’s fun to go out there,” he said.

“I went and spent probably four hours with him in Vegas. He said a couple of things to me that resonated.

“It’s the same stuff that I’ve been trying to do with my coach Michael (Bannon), but he sort of just said it in a different way that maybe hit home with me a little bit more.”

McIlroy has the chance to work on his changes before facing the challenge of Augusta National.

“If I realised anything over the last few years, it’s (that) I definitely play my best golf in runs, so this is the first of probably a four-week stretch for me,” he said.

“It’s nice to try to play my way into form... with the main focus being getting myself ready for the Masters next week.”

McIlroy had also spoken about the concerns of having the

world’s top players divided between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League

. LIV backers are in merger talks with the PGA, stretching more than three months beyond their original deadline.

“If you look at the TV ratings of the PGA Tour this year, they’re down 20 per cent across the board. That’s big,” McIlroy said. “I would say the numbers on LIV aren’t great either.

“With the fighting and everything that’s (gone) on over the past couple years, people are just getting really fatigued of it.”

He said if ratings rise for the Majors, where top PGA and LIV players both compete, it is a sign fans want them on a united tour, but if they are down, it is a sign people are losing interest in golf, if not even the top events can turn the TV trend. AFP