Rory McIlroy’s Grand Slam hopes again on the line at Masters

From the time he turned pro, Rory McIlroy seemed destined to win multiple green jackets. His powerful drives and towering approach shots matched the profile of players who thrived at Augusta National. His annual position in the world rankings fit the history of a tournament that identifies the game’s best players.

On his 12th appearance, the 31-year-old McIlroy is still chasing his first happy Sunday at the Masters.

Phil Mickelson needed 12 attempts to win his first of three green jackets at age 34. He believes McIlroy has multiple Masters titles ahead. Kind words, of course, but nothing more until McIlroy finally breaks through.

Photos: Wednesday Practice Round

“It's just a matter of, you know, getting out of my own way and letting it happen,” McIlroy said. “You have to go out and earn it. You can't just rely on people saying that you're going to win one. Greg Norman never did. Ernie Els never did. There are a lot of great people that have played this game that have never won a green jacket. It's not a foregone conclusion.”

For the sixth consecutive year, McIlroy comes to the Masters needing a victory to become the sixth professional golfer to complete the modern career Grand Slam, joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

Sitting on the verge of that achievement generally means the spotlight centers on McIlroy in the days leading up to the Masters. In this un-ordinary year, however, U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and his prodigious drives have garnered most of the attention instead.

This patronless Masters seems more subdued and relaxed in more ways than one, McIlroy said, and he doesn’t mind floating on the fringe, at least as much as a four-time major champion ranked fifth in the world can.

His Masters record is strong -- 71.52 stroke average, nine top-25s, five top-10s in 11 starts -- and he clearly possesses the requisite firepower. In the last nine Masters, McIlroy has made 141 birdies (15.8 per tournament) and eight eagles to break par in 25 of 36 rounds. Careless bogeys and crippling doubles or worse have shattered his shot at winning.

“You're sort of making sure that you make no worse than a bogey on any hole,” McIlroy said. “That's something that I probably haven't done here that well in the past. I've made a few big numbers, and if you can limit those, yeah, take your medicine, be smart, punch out of trees, not try to be a hero, that all can sort of add up at the end of the week to saving a few shots here and there.”

From afar, his final-round record looks good, with rounds in the 60s on Sunday five of the last seven years. But, in four of those rounds he began the day outside the top 10. And he’s stumbled twice from the final pairing.

He held a four-shot lead in 2011, hooked his drive near the cabins left of the 10th fairway, made triple-bogey 7 and shot 80. Two years ago, playing alongside eventual champion Patrick Reed, McIlroy missed key short putts early and faded with a 74.

McIlroy, who became a father in August, believes those disappointments hardened his resolve.

“But I think failure … I try to say this to young guys that are coming through. You can't be afraid of it,” he said. “You have to embrace the fact that you are going to fail at things, but you should learn from them and then when you go again, you should be better.”

McIlroy was slow to adjust to playing tournaments without spectators. That’s understandable considering the limelight he’s performed under throughout his career. His perspective has shifted in recent weeks.

“They are still handing out trophies at the end of every week, so you may as well try and play as hard as possible for them,” he said.

His game has shown positive signs of late, with top-25 finishes in his last five tournaments and a 29-birdie performance last time out at the Zozo Championship.

“I think nowadays, with how many great players there are, I need to play my best golf to have a chance,” he said.

Also, he’s flourished in conditions similar to what the players will face this week, winning the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional, 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course and 2014 PGA at Valhalla on courses softened by rain.

After midseason adjustments, McIlroy’s swing feels free and solid. He played well Wednesday in a practice round with Webb Simpson.

With four good rounds, the Sunday afternoon visit to Butler Cabin that once seemed so certain could finally come to fruition.