Rory McIlroy responds to Fred Couples after not | Golf News

Rory McIlroy has playfully dismissed Fred Couples’ daring prediction that he’ll never lose the Masters again as unhelpful.

Couples made the comment to his caddie halfway through his opening spherical on Thursday after recognizing McIlroy’s title atop the leaderboard at 5-under. So far, the prediction is holding true — not that McIlroy is especially snug with it. “And by the way,” said Couples. “Rory may never lose this thing again after last year. I said that on about the 12th hole to my caddie.”

Couples wasn’t the only Masters champion to weigh in on McIlroy. The Northern Irish star also revealed, before his spherical, a colourful piece of advice from {golfing} legend Jack Nicklaus.

Speaking to Amanda Balionis on Amazon Prime on Friday afternoon, the broadcaster pressed him to share the small print. She requested: “Overnight co-leader Rory McIlroy, I know Jack Nicklaus said something to you at the practice facility before your opening round, what did he tell you?”

McIlroy replied with a grin, “Er, no effing double bogeys. Apparently, he thought I made too many last year.”

After carding a gorgeous 65 to transfer to 12-under for the match and open up a six-shot lead over nearest challengers Patrick Reed and Sam Burns, McIlroy was quizzed on the remarks from both Couples and Nicklaus.

“I think the advice, like the advice from Jack or — like even last year, I talked about Jack and Gary and Tom were up here after their ceremonial tee shots, and they all picked me to win. I mean, that’s nice, but that is not helpful,” he said.

“Freddie saying that is not helpful. But Jack telling me not to make double bogeys, that’s helpful.

“It’s very nice either method. It’s good that Jack feels a close relationship with me, that he desires to help in some method, and it is good that Freddie believes in me so a lot.

“I guess it’s still all noise. They’re lovely words, and it’s nice to hear these things, but it means nothing when you step on the 1st tee because you just have to stand up and hit the shots and make the putts.”

When questioned about his strategy for Saturday given his substantial benefit, McIlroy was requested whether or not his strategy shifts with such a commanding lead.

“I don’t think so,” he replied. “I just want to go out and play two good rounds again. Obviously this golf course has certain characteristics that guys can get on runs, guys can make eagles, you hear roars all over the golf course.

“I feel the next two days for me is absolutely about focusing on myself. It’s onerous to keep away from those big leaderboards on the market, but like I do know that I’ve received a lead. So I do not need to keep checking it all the time. So for me, just actually focusing on myself and staying in my own little world out there’s the best factor.”