Three-time Masters champion Sir Nick Faldo believes Rory McIlroy has to completely reset for the defence of his title and could now set his sights on winning a second career grand slam.
The Northern Irishman’s play-off victory over Justin Rose a year ago secured a long-awaited green jacket to become only the sixth player to win all four majors.
But as McIlroy tees it up in the first round, Faldo – one of only three alongside Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to successfully defend their Masters title – thinks he has to aim even higher.
“You’ve obviously got to gear up and get everything right: physically, technically, mentally, emotionally it has got to be good that week and off you go again,” he said of the secrets to winning back-to-back green jackets.
“Obviously everybody else is trying to do the same thing. I have no real answer how it’s done. You can’t roll off a log and do that again.
“He won on such emotion last year it’s going be starting again. There’s no way you can pick up from a year ago.
“It’s got to be treated as a whole new goal, a whole new project, starting on Thursday morning. Get out on the golf course and off you go and get into it. Simple as that.”
If McIlroy were to win again at Augusta it would take him to six major victories, the same as Faldo.
But the Englishman thinks the world number two can go past him to a different level.
“Hey, I’m not worried about that. I’m just delighted to be part of, you know, Seve (Ballesteros), Rory and I, that world on the European Tour,” Faldo added.
“He’s probably been thinking about that a bit after the Ryder Cup. You think, ‘Right, what’s the next goal? Get ready for Augusta’.
“This new goal might be trying to be a two-time grand slam champion. That is pretty darned impressive, isn’t it?”
:: Watch more live Masters coverage than ever before, exclusively on Sky Sports and NOW from Thursday 9 April.
