McIlroy ready to face his demons

Rory McIlroy embarks on a quest to banish his Masters demons today, confident he is better equipped, both mentally and technically, to hold off Tiger Woods and a host of other likely rivals and conquer Augusta National.

The two-horse race between McIlroy and Woods that this first Major of the year has been framed as, will not concern the 22-year-old from Holywood one jot. The big battle for the world No 2 is to prove he has the game and the brain to build on the immaculate first three rounds he put together in 2011 and add a crowning last-day final round to land the Green Jacket his talent merits.

In winning the US Open for his first Major title eight weeks after his meltdown, McIlroy proved last year in the wake of the final-day, eight-over-par 80 he was prepared to quickly learn lessons and put right the wrongs of the horrible back nine he experienced here.