McIlroy’s fourth prepared well for the Masters

The last of those little runs came TaylorMade RocketBallZ Driver to the 17th tee, where McIlroy  the reigning U.S. Open champion, at that time the absolutely no. 1 golfer on the planet, and clearly a popular at this week's Masters, regardless of the body parts he left strewn throughout Augusta National last year ?a arrived huffing and puffing. He took a breath, got out his driver and cranked one, a strong strike having a delicate draw, right down the center.

That driver's singin' and dancin'right this moment, isn't it McDowell whistled on the group, and McIlroy smiled, somewhat sheepishly.

McIlroy has the golf world singin'and dancin' now, with what is shaping as much as be war and peace Masters afoot. Through the first weekend in March, McIlroy held off Ernie els and his Mizuno MP 53 Irons closing, statement-making 62 to win the Honda Classic and rise to No. One out of the globe ?a a location he lost only because Luke Donald, the last No. 1, won a fortnight later.

McIlroy's status as the lone favorite is in question only because Woods, online resources four green jackets, finally won yesterday, and looks to stay in just with the form that could win him a fifth.

With this backdrop, the 22-year-old McIlroy returns to Augusta ?a where he built a four-shot lead through three rounds last year, only to somehow post an unsightly 80 on Sunday ?a different in countless ways. You have the fact that he won the next major in which he played, a brilliant, record-setting performance in the U.S. Open at Bethesda's Congressional Country Club that, at the same time it turned out playing out, did actually modify the landscape with the sport. You have the transformation of his body, his pudginess out and plyometrics in. There are some tweaks to his swing, created using assistance from the sole coach she has ever employed, Michael Bannon.

Additionally, there are changes in his personal and professional life. He replaced his hometown girlfriend with Caroline Wozniacki, formerly the top-ranked women's tennis player on the globe. He replaced powerhouse agent AndrewChubby Chandler and his International Sports discount golf clubs Management group with the lower-key Horizon Sports Management.

This visit to the Masters, then  McIlroy's fourth will be very different, for the people reasons and more.

I wasn't necessarily distinct recently, but you know, I'll go within that carries a lot more attention, a lot of scrutiny as a consequence of what went down a year ago, McIlroy said at Doral, the last tournament by which he played. The spotlight will probably be on me, and it's something I'll simply have to deal with. But I'll make an effort to consider the same approach and approach it like I did this past year ?a at the very least for three days, anyway.