GOLFING LEGEND Tiger Woods has admitted that Rory McIlroy's first Masters win at Augusta is "just a matter of time."
This week, the world-famous golf event "The Masters" gets underway on Thursday, and for many golfers, it is one that cements their legacy as golfers.
Previous winners include the likes of Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama, and many others. However, an Irishman has never won the green jacket.
McIlroy finished second behind Scottie Scheffler last year but has since gone on to become the world number one in golf.
The Holywood native is a four-time major champion, winning the 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship, and 2014 PGA Championship. However, The Masters is one that has escaped the golfing superstar.
Woods stated this week that McIlroy will eventually don the famous green jacket like he did in the past.
"He will [complete the career Grand Slam], it's just a matter of time," said the five-time Masters winner.
🗣️ "It's just a matter of time... He will get it done."
Tiger Woods says Rory McIlroy will 'definitely' win the Masters in the future 🏆⛳ pic.twitter.com/HDuMuYZ8Kz— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 4, 2023
"Rory has the talent. He has the game. He has all the tools to win here. I think Rory has shown over the years that he's learned how to play this golf course. He has been there.
"Last year he made a great run, put himself there. I think that it's just a matter of time, whether it's this year or next or whenever it comes, he will get it done and he will have a career Grand Slam.
"What year it will be? It will definitely happen."
The tee-times were released late on Tuesday, and McIlroy has been paired with Sam Burns of the US and Tom Kim of Korea on the opening day.
Speaking about the event this year, McIlroy has allowed himself to dream of a famous win on the iconic golf course.
"I’ve let myself dream; I’ve let myself think about it before I go to sleep at night," he said.
"I think the more and more you play it over in your mind, the more ready you’ll be for it. It’s a big part of psychology, envisioning these things.
"A lot of great athletes over time have done that same thing. You've got to have dreams, you got to let yourself dream, and I’m certainly letting myself dream this week."
Round one: Thursday, 6 April (all times BST)
13:00 Kevin Na (US), Mike Weir (Can)
13:12 Vijay Singh (Fij), Scott Stallings (US), Matthew McClean (NI)*
13:24 Talor Gooch (US), Jason Kokrak (US), Sandy Lyle (Sco)
13:36 Fred Couples (US), Russell Henley (US), Alexander Noren (Swe)
13:48 Kevin Kisner (US), Adrian Meronk (Pol), Louis Oosthuizen (SA)
14:00 Min-Woo Lee (Aus), Larry Mize (US), Harrison Crowe (Aus)*
14:12 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Kazuki Higa (Jpn), Keith Mitchell (US)
14:24 Patrick Reed (US), Adam Svensson (Can), Sahith Theegala (US)
14:36 Mackenzie Hughes (Can), Shane Lowry (Ire), Thomas Pieters (Bel)
14:48 Seamus Power (Ire), Bubba Watson (US), Mateo Fernandez (Arg)*
15:06 Abraham Ancer (Mex), Keegan Bradley (US), Chris Kirk (US)
15:18 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Xander Schauffele (US), Tiger Woods (US)
15:30 Patrick Cantlay (US), Kurt Kitayama (US), Adam Scott (Aus)
15:42 Jon Rahm (Spa), Justin Thomas (US), Cameron Young (US)
15:54 Sung-Jae Im (Kor), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Cameron Smith (Aus)
16:06 Cameron Champ (US), Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa)
16:18 Taylor Moore (US), Charl Schwartzel (SA), Aldrich Potgieter (SA)*
16:30 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Francesco Molinari (Ita), JT Poston (US)
16:42 Bernhard Langer (Ger), Guillermo Mito Pereira (Chi), Ben Carr (US)*
16:54 Brooks Koepka (US), Danny Willett (Eng), Gary Woodland (US)
17:12 Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Kor), Sepp Straka (Aut), Harold Varner III (US)
17:24 Tom Hoge (US), Si-Woo Kim (Kor), Phil Mickelson (US)
17:36 Harris English (US), Ryan Fox (NZ), Billy Horschel (US)
17:48 Jason Day (Aus), Zach Johnson (US), Gordon Sargent (US)*
18:00 Brian Harman (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Joaquin Niemann (Chi)
18:12 Corey Conners (Can), Dustin Johnson (US), Justin Rose (Eng)
18:24 Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Collin Morikawa (US), Will Zalatoris (US)
18:36 Max Homa (US), Sam Bennett (US)*, Scottie Scheffler (US)
18:48 Sam Burns (US), Tom Kim (Kor), Rory McIlroy (NI)
19:00 Tony Finau (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Jordan Spieth (US)
Round two: Friday, 7 April
13:00 Cameron Champ (US), Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa)
13:12 Taylor Moore (US), Charl Schwartzel (SA), Aldrich Potgieter (SA)*
13:24 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Francesco Molinari (Ita), JT Poston (US)
13:36 Bernhard Langer (Ger), Guillermo Mito Pereira (Chi), Ben Carr (US)*
13:48 Brooks Koepka (US), Danny Willett (Eng), Gary Woodland (US)
14:00 Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Kor), Sepp Straka (Aut), Harold Varner III (US)
14:12 Tom Hoge (US), Si-Woo Kim (Kor), Phil Mickelson (US)
14:24 Harris English (US), Ryan Fox (NZ), Billy Horschel (US)
14:36 Jason Day (Aus), Zach Johnson (US), Gordon Sargent (US)*
14:48 Brian Harman (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Joaquin Niemann (Chi)
15:06 Corey Conners (Can), Dustin Johnson (US), Justin Rose (Eng)
15:18 Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Collin Morikawa (US), Will Zalatoris (US)
15:30 Max Homa (US), Sam Bennett (US)*, Scottie Scheffler (US)
15:42 Sam Burns (US), Tom Kim (Kor), Rory McIlroy (NI)
15:54 Tony Finau (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Jordan Spieth (US)
16:06 Kevin Na (US), Mike Weir (Can)
16:18 Vijay Singh (Fij), Scott Stallings (US), Matthew McClean (NI)*
16:30 Talor Gooch (US), Jason Kokrak (US), Sandy Lyle (Sco)
16:42 Fred Couples (US), Russell Henley (US), Alexander Noren (Swe)
16:54 Kevin Kisner (US), Adrian Meronk (Pol), Louis Oosthuizen (SA)
17:12 Min-Woo Lee (Aus), Larry Mize (US), Harrison Crowe (Aus)*
17:24 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Kazuki Higa (Jpn), Keith Mitchell (US)
17:36 Patrick Reed (US), Adam Svensson (Can), Sahith Theegala (US)
17:48 Mackenzie Hughes (Can), Shane Lowry (Ire), Thomas Pieters (Bel)
18:00 Seamus Power (Ire), Bubba Watson (US), Mateo Fernandez (Arg)*
18:12 Abraham Ancer (Mex), Keegan Bradley (US), Chris Kirk (US)
18:24 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Xander Schauffele (US), Tiger Woods (US)
18:36 Patrick Cantlay (US), Kurt Kitayama (US), Adam Scott (Aus)
18:48 Jon Rahm (Spa), Justin Thomas (US), Cameron Young (US)
19:00 Sung-Jae Im (Kor), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Cameron Smith (Aus)
