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.
đŁïž "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 đâł 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.
"Iâve let myself dream; Iâve 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 youâll be for it. Itâs 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 Iâm certainly letting myself dream this week."
Round one: Thursday, 6 April (all times BST)
13:00Â Kevin Na (US), Mike Weir (Can)
13:12Â Vijay Singh (Fij), Scott Stallings (US), Matthew McClean (NI)*
13:24Â Talor Gooch (US), Jason Kokrak (US), Sandy Lyle (Sco)
13:36Â Fred Couples (US), Russell Henley (US), Alexander Noren (Swe)
13:48Â Kevin Kisner (US), Adrian Meronk (Pol), Louis Oosthuizen (SA)
14:00Â Min-Woo Lee (Aus), Larry Mize (US), Harrison Crowe (Aus)*
14:12Â Sergio Garcia (Spa), Kazuki Higa (Jpn), Keith Mitchell (US)
14:24Â Patrick Reed (US), Adam Svensson (Can), Sahith Theegala (US)
14:36Â Mackenzie Hughes (Can), Shane Lowry (Ire), Thomas Pieters (Bel)
14:48Â Seamus Power (Ire), Bubba Watson (US), Mateo Fernandez (Arg)*
15:06Â Abraham Ancer (Mex), Keegan Bradley (US), Chris Kirk (US)
15:18Â Viktor Hovland (Nor), Xander Schauffele (US), Tiger Woods (US)
15:30Â Patrick Cantlay (US), Kurt Kitayama (US), Adam Scott (Aus)
15:42Â Jon Rahm (Spa), Justin Thomas (US), Cameron Young (US)
15:54Â Sung-Jae Im (Kor), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Cameron Smith (Aus)
16:06Â Cameron Champ (US), Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa)
16:18Â Taylor Moore (US), Charl Schwartzel (SA), Aldrich Potgieter (SA)*
16:30Â Bryson DeChambeau (US), Francesco Molinari (Ita), JT Poston (US)
16:42Â Bernhard Langer (Ger), Guillermo Mito Pereira (Chi), Ben Carr (US)*
16:54Â Brooks Koepka (US), Danny Willett (Eng), Gary Woodland (US)
17:12Â Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Kor), Sepp Straka (Aut), Harold Varner III (US)
17:24Â Tom Hoge (US), Si-Woo Kim (Kor), Phil Mickelson (US)
17:36Â Harris English (US), Ryan Fox (NZ), Billy Horschel (US)
17:48Â Jason Day (Aus), Zach Johnson (US), Gordon Sargent (US)*
18:00Â Brian Harman (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Joaquin Niemann (Chi)
18:12Â Corey Conners (Can), Dustin Johnson (US), Justin Rose (Eng)
18:24Â Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Collin Morikawa (US), Will Zalatoris (US)
18:36Â Max Homa (US), Sam Bennett (US)*, Scottie Scheffler (US)
18:48Â Sam Burns (US), Tom Kim (Kor), Rory McIlroy (NI)
19:00Â Tony Finau (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Jordan Spieth (US)
Round two: Friday, 7 April
13:00Â Cameron Champ (US), Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa)
13:12Â Taylor Moore (US), Charl Schwartzel (SA), Aldrich Potgieter (SA)*
13:24Â Bryson DeChambeau (US), Francesco Molinari (Ita), JT Poston (US)
13:36Â Bernhard Langer (Ger), Guillermo Mito Pereira (Chi), Ben Carr (US)*
13:48Â Brooks Koepka (US), Danny Willett (Eng), Gary Woodland (US)
14:00Â Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Kor), Sepp Straka (Aut), Harold Varner III (US)
14:12Â Tom Hoge (US), Si-Woo Kim (Kor), Phil Mickelson (US)
14:24Â Harris English (US), Ryan Fox (NZ), Billy Horschel (US)
14:36Â Jason Day (Aus), Zach Johnson (US), Gordon Sargent (US)*
14:48Â Brian Harman (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Joaquin Niemann (Chi)
15:06Â Corey Conners (Can), Dustin Johnson (US), Justin Rose (Eng)
15:18Â Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Collin Morikawa (US), Will Zalatoris (US)
15:30Â Max Homa (US), Sam Bennett (US)*, Scottie Scheffler (US)
15:42Â Sam Burns (US), Tom Kim (Kor), Rory McIlroy (NI)
15:54Â Tony Finau (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Jordan Spieth (US)
16:06Â Kevin Na (US), Mike Weir (Can)
16:18Â Vijay Singh (Fij), Scott Stallings (US), Matthew McClean (NI)*
16:30Â Talor Gooch (US), Jason Kokrak (US), Sandy Lyle (Sco)
16:42Â Fred Couples (US), Russell Henley (US), Alexander Noren (Swe)
16:54Â Kevin Kisner (US), Adrian Meronk (Pol), Louis Oosthuizen (SA)
17:12Â Min-Woo Lee (Aus), Larry Mize (US), Harrison Crowe (Aus)*
17:24Â Sergio Garcia (Spa), Kazuki Higa (Jpn), Keith Mitchell (US)
17:36Â Patrick Reed (US), Adam Svensson (Can), Sahith Theegala (US)
17:48Â Mackenzie Hughes (Can), Shane Lowry (Ire), Thomas Pieters (Bel)
18:00Â Seamus Power (Ire), Bubba Watson (US), Mateo Fernandez (Arg)*
18:12Â Abraham Ancer (Mex), Keegan Bradley (US), Chris Kirk (US)
18:24Â Viktor Hovland (Nor), Xander Schauffele (US), Tiger Woods (US)
18:36Â Patrick Cantlay (US), Kurt Kitayama (US), Adam Scott (Aus)
18:48Â Jon Rahm (Spa), Justin Thomas (US), Cameron Young (US)
19:00Â Sung-Jae Im (Kor), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Cameron Smith (Aus)
See More: Golf, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods
