Multiple Masters winner questions Rory McIlroy's mental toughness
Three-time Masters champion Sir Nick Faldo has questioned Rory McIlroy's mental toughness ahead of the first men's major championship of the year.
Sir Nick Faldo has questioned Rory McIlroy's mental toughness ahead of the Northern Irishman's latest bid to achieve the career grand slam.
McIlroy, 35, will head to Augusta National next week for his 17th Masters appearance.
It will represent McIlroy's 10th attempt to become the sixth player in history to win all four major championships.
"History's not great [for McIlroy]," Faldo, 67, told the Sky Sports Golf podcast.
"I think only Tiger Woods and Ben Crenshaw have gone 11 years between two majors in about the last 40 years.
"He has to forget that, and he's got to rewrite some of those things."
Faldo said McIlroy is in good form.
The 35-year-old has already won twice on the PGA Tour this year.
He cantered to victory at Pebble Beach and also saw off J.J. Spaun in a playoff at TPC Sawgrass to land his second Players title in March.
Faldo added: "Can he just go to Augusta and absolutely clear all the pictures out from the past?
"It's way easier said than done, but he could do it and I've got a feeling he might.
"He is looking very good. Golf, for me, there's three main departments when you're assessing anyone – there's physical, technical, and mental, isn't it?
"Physical, we can just about see. You can see how strong somebody is, but you can't see an injury.
"Technical, we can just about see it – you see the swing and what have you. Mental, we can't see it and that's purely hidden to the individual.
"For Rory? Physically, he's got it. Technically, he's got it. Where is he mentally? That is the key.
"He has got the battle of trying to delete ten years of this gap and saying to us 'I'm actually the best player in the world right now'.
"Because, let's face it, he is."
McIlroy has already completed two reconnaissance trips to Augusta.
He told reporters about the changes that were made to the course following damage from Hurricane Helene.
His most recent start on the PGA Tour saw him tie for fifth at the Texas Children's Houston Open.
McIlroy later claimed that he is currently dealing with an injury to his right elbow.
"My right elbow has been bothering me a little bit so I'll maybe just get some treatment on that and make sure that is okay going into Augusta," he told Golf Channel.
GolfMagic's Ben Smith reckons his injury claim simply doesn't pass the smell test.
Ben joined the GolfMagic team in September 2021, initially as a content executive.
These days, he assumes the position of content manager.
