Excitement is building in the Mayo village of Cong as it braces for the wedding of the year when Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll tie the knot at Ashford Castle next weekend.

When Rory McIlroy steps onto the practice range at Augusta National today he will do so with that bounce in his stride that tells you he is a golfer with everything in place to take the final step on his road to golfing immortality.

He’s one of golf’s big three but while he has spent a few days watching Africa’s big five and has his sights set on returning to world number one this month, Rory McIlroy’s early-season sojourn to South Africa is all about one thing — the first major of the year.