By Rory Carroll
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 7 (Reuters) - Rory McIlroy said arriving at Augusta National as the reigning Masters champion had left him feeling more relaxed than at any point in his previous visits, with the burden that once followed him here finally gone.
McIlroy, who completed the career Grand Slam with a thrilling Masters triumph last year, said that after years of counting down to the opening tee shot, his mindset had changed completely.
"For the past 17 years I just could not wait for
the tournament to start, and this year I wouldn't care if the tournament never started," a smiling McIlroy told reporters while donning his Green Jacket.
"That's sort of the difference."
STILL MOTIVATED
The Northern Irishman said winning the Masters had not made him any less driven to contend again, but it had changed how he felt walking the grounds.
"It's completely different. I feel so much more relaxed," he said.
"It doesn't make me any less motivated to go out there and play well and try to win the tournament, just relaxed."
McIlroy's newfound ease was apparent in a wide-ranging press conference as he prepared to host the Masters Champions Dinner for the first time on Tuesday evening, where he is in charge of selecting the menu.
"People keep asking me why didn't you go more Irish? And I said, because I want to enjoy the dinner as well," he said to laughter from reporters.
The five-times major champion said Augusta may now offer his best chance to add to his major tally because of the experience he has built here.
"I think this one," he said when asked which of the four majors best suited him going forward.
He said his familiarity with Augusta National set it apart from the other major venues, which rotate from year to year.
"I just think that everything here is a little more predictable," he said.
"I just think the more experience you have around this golf course, the better it is."
NEW PERSPECTIVE
The 36-year-old added that he hoped he still had "10 good shots" left at winning more Green Jackets, saying the course's predictability and his long history there could work in his favor even as he grows older.
But he also suggested his focus had shifted beyond the pursuit that once defined him.
"I think the story as it relates to me is what do I do from now onwards? What motivates me? What gets me going? What do I still want to achieve in the game?"
He said the career Grand Slam had once felt like an end point, only for that feeling to change once he got there.
"I think what I've realised is, if you can just really find enjoyment in the journey, that's the big thing because honestly I felt like the career Grand Slam was my destination, and I got there, and then I realised it wasn't the destination."
McIlroy said that change was also reflected in how people spoke to him around Augusta.
"There's a real positive connotation to it instead of, geez, Rory, we've been waiting a while. When are you going to get this done?" he said.
For McIlroy, the biggest difference was simple.
"It is so nice to walk around the property or be out on the golf course and just not have that hanging over me."
(Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Ken Ferris)
