Rory McIlroy Sought Advice From Golf Legend Ahead Of The Masters

Ahead of the first major of 2024 next week, Rory McIlroy finds himself in a familiar position.

The Holywood native has probably been the most consistent golfer in the world over the last number of years, winning a number of big tournaments and remaining in and around the top spot in the world rankings. In saying that, it is his lack of wins in majors that has dominated the narrative around him during this period.

It is now almost a decade since Rory McIlroy last won one of golf's four flagship events, with his last victory coming in 2014. He has had a number of close misses since then, especially in the last few years.

He will head to The Masters next week hoping to end that long winless run and complete a career grand slam in the process. Ahead of that tournament, he has sought out some advice from a golf legend.

Butch Harmon is one of the most successful golf coaches of all-time, having worked with Tiger Woods during the early part of the player's career. While he has not been as prominent in the world of professional golf in recent years, he still works with players on a part-time basis.

He has now linked up with Rory McIlroy ahead of The Masters.

Speaking on the I Can Fly podcast, the 34-year old revealed that he sought some advice from Harmon ahead of the tournament in Augusta next week.

I went last week to see Butch Harmon for a golf lesson.

I've seen him over the years, like once every few years. I'll say, 'Hey, Butch, can I just come see you and you can take a look and see what you think'...

I met Butch when I was 14 years old, so we've always had a good relationship. If there's one guy that I want to go and get a second opinion from, it's him.

After The Players, struggling through that Florida Swing with my swing and with some of the misses I was having with my irons, I just thought to myself 'I'm obviously missing something here' and that I would love to get him take a look, get a second opinion, a second set of eyes.

The one thing with Butch is when you go and spend time with him, you're always going to feel better about yourself at the end of it whether you're hitting it better or not. He's sort of half golf coach, half psychologist in a way.

I went and spent probably four hours with him in Vegas. He said a couple of things to me that resonated.

Rory McIlroy enters The Masters in middling form, failing to finish higher than 19th in any of his PGA Tour events so far in 2024. In saying that, he did win the Dubai Desert Classic back in January.

He will be hoping that this is the year that his major hoodoo is finally brought to an end.