Washington---World number one Rory McIlroy chases his third consecutive major title and tries to become only the sixth player to complete a career Grand Slam next week at the Masters.
The 25-year-old from Northern Ireland would become the first European golfer to complete the career sweep of the men's golf majors with a triumph at Augusta National.
"It's a big deal, what I'm trying to achieve," McIlroy said.
McIlroy would join Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen and South African Gary Player on the career Grand Slam list, although Woods would remain the youngest to complete the sweep, having done so at age 24 by winning the 2000 British Open.
And McIlroy would do so on the Augusta National layout founded by Bobby Jones, who won his 1930s-era version of a career slam by taking the US and British Opens and Amateurs.
McIlroy might well have already owned the green jacket symbolic of Masters supremacy had he not suffered a back-nine collapse while leading in the final round in 2011 and fired an 80 to finish in a share of 15th.
But that humbling defeat prompted McIlroy to bounce back and win his first major in his next opportunity, the 2011 US Open at Congressional, and since then he has added the 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships and last year's British Open.
This year, McIlroy won at Dubai and finished second at Abu Dhabi but stumbled in his US tuneups for the Masters, missing the cut at the Honda Classic and opening with a 73 at Doral before rallying to finish ninth and then share 11th at Bay Hill two weeks later.
McIlroy was not unhappy that he had yet to find his top form, hopeful his timing would be perfect for Masters week.
"I sort of like that because if I had played really well the last few weeks, how do I keep this going," McIlroy said after Bay Hill.
"It's almost like it's nice to be able to try and build yourself up. I don't feel like I'm right there. I feel like I'm just gradually building myself up so it's actually not a bad position to be in."
AFP
