Mind over Masters for Mcilroy in latest career Grand Slam bid

AUGUSTA: Rory Mcilroy has traveled an oblique path back to Augusta National, eyeing a picture even bigger than the possibility of becoming the sixth man to complete golf’s career Grand Slam.

“I’m not about to go and live with the monks in Nepal, or anything like that, but I’m making sure that I center myself and put my head in the right place,” Mcilroy said on Tuesday of the meditation and mindfulness techniques that have fueled his stellar start to 2019.

His seven top-10 finishes in seven starts include a victory in the Players Championship last month raising expectations that the world number three from Northern Ireland will break through for a first Masters win -- ending a near five-year major drought and join Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen as the only players with a career slam -- at least one win in each of the four professional major tournaments.

Mcilroy himself, who has come up short in four prior atempts to join the select club, says he isn’t thinking of it that way.

“My mindset is a litle different,” he said. “I’m still practicing. I’m still geting beter. I’m not geting ahead of myself. Not thinking about the tee shot on Thursday or thinking about what is to come this week. I keep saying this, I would dearly love to win this tournament one day. If it doesn’t happen this week, that’s totally fine, I’ll come back next year and have another crack at it.

“But I’m happy with where everything is, body, mind, game.”

Mcilroy said he’s found beter balance in his game and his life with his pursuit of the “three Ps” -- perspective, patience and poise.

“Youneedtosearchuntilyoufindwhatresonates with you,” he said. “I want to reach the stage where all the “P”s I practice are natural and subconscious.” Mcilroy said he’s taken ideas on meditation and mindful living from a variety of sources, including books and digital apps.

Former US PGA Tour pro Brad Faxon, who has worked with Mcilroy for more than a year, steered him to the Central Institute for Human Performance, where medical director Clayton Skaggs became another resource in his quest for a healthier life.

“It’s to make the most of the next 20 years of my career,” Mcilroy said. “It’s not just about one week. This is a lifelong journey of trying to improve and learn and try to master my crat, which is golf.

“But I know if I have the right atitude and I have my goals that I want to achieve this year, the by-product could be winning this golf tournament.”