Golf

Woods’ return at Augusta would help McIlroy’s cause, says McGinley

Tiger’s participation would take some of the spotlight from world No 1’s Grand Slam bid

Rory McIlroy: will be bidding to complete a career Grand Slam when he tees it up in the US Masters at Augusta. Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images
Rory McIlroy: will be bidding to complete a career Grand Slam when he tees it up in the US Masters at Augusta. Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images
James Riach
Tue Mar 17 2015 - 01:00

Paul McGinley believes Rory McIlroy will have a better chance of winning his first Masters title if Tiger Woods plays at Augusta this year, although the former world No1's participation at the first Major of the year remains in serious doubt.

Woods announced on Friday that he would not play at Bay Hill this week in the Arnold Palmer Invitational as he attempts to recover the fitness and form he deems sufficient for a comeback to the PGA Tour. However, the four-times Masters champion is hopeful of returning at Augusta.

The Masters is the only major that McIlroy has yet to win following a remarkably successful 2014 that provided him with stunning victories at Hoylake and Valhalla to secure the Open Championship and US PGA Championship respectively.

Those titles came before a European triumph in the Ryder Cup under the stewardship of McGinley, who believes Woods’ presence at Augusta would mean McIlroy could escape a degree of the limelight and increase the 25-year-old’s focus on a career Grand Slam.

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Asked if it would be easier for McIlroy should Woods return, McGinley said: “Of course. Look what happens at the US PGA last year, all the talk is Tiger going to play, is he not going to play? At the time Rory was favourite but all the expectation, all the talk, all you guys were focused on Tiger.

His business

“Rory didn’t sneak in the backdoor but was able to go about his business without the attention on him. I hope Tiger comes back, we all hope Tiger comes back. I don’t know if he will or not, we’ll have to wait and see.”

On McIlroy’s development McGinley added: “It’s incredible how much he gets it, how mature he is for such a young guy. But he’s had a lot of life experiences.”

Woods spoke with Palmer on Friday to confirm that he would not play at his tournament. Yet he released a statement on his website last week that read: “I’ve put in a lot of time and work on my game and I’m making strides, I hope to be ready for the Masters, and I will continue to work hard preparing for Augusta”.

Of Woods’s drastic decline, McGinley said: “He is nearly 40 years of age. The intensity Tiger has given to the game for 20 years he’s been a pro, that intensity does have an effect on you. Is there a little bit of burnout going on? . . There’s no doubt Tiger has peaked in age times, and in terms of when guys normally play their best golf. That doesn’t mean he’s finished, but certainly he’s in the back nine of his career.” Guardian Service