Rivals expect Rory McIlroy to revel in the spotlight
The trio are reigning US Open champion Martin Kaymer, past Irish Open winner Paul Casey and McIlroy’s good friend Rickie Fowler as McIlroy strives to become only the sixth golfer in the history of the game to win all four Majors.
And unless Tiger Woods confirms he will compete it will be McIlroy commanding sport’s media limelight.
Kaymer added this week’s Shell Houston Open to his schedule after the San Antonio shock of posting an 82 and 80 in last week’s Valero Texas Open.
“Rory is mature enough to handle it and we’ve seen before how he’s handled matters going on in his life, so I don’t think it will make a big difference to him,” said Kaymer ahead of teeing-off in Houston.
“For the rest of us teeing-up at Augusta we will have enough to do ourselves than to be worrying about Rory.
“But then I do hope that Rory does win the Masters one day, and if happens this year or in coming years, that would be great for him.
“One of the things that we all want is to win at least one Major Championship in our career, but then like both Rory and myself, if you win a few you then want to try and win more.”
Casey, winner of the 2013 Irish Open at Carton House, was in the second group out on day one of the $6.6m event and despite bogeying his last two including finding water off the tee at the last, he was delighted to shoot a four under par 68.
The 37-year old, who has forfeited his European Tour to concentrate purely on the PGA Tour, will be making his ninth Augusta appearance but a first in three years, after being one of the last few to qualify last week off the World Rankings.
“It’s going to make it so much easier for all of us, of course, the media spotlight will be on Rory,” said Casey.
“Then that’s fine with me as he deserves that media spotlight and you guys can follow him around all day and whatever nine he is playing his practice round on I will go out on the other nine (smiling).
“But I hope also Tiger plays next week because if he is ready to play then we would all love to see him compete.
“I’ve played with Tiger many a time at the Masters and I would love to be the guy who is going down the stretch with Tiger if he’s playing his best golf again.
“That’s what you want as a fellow player and that’s what the true golf fans want to see.”
Casey capped his opening Texas round with two eagles at the fourth and 14th holes and holing respective putts of 14 feet and 22 feet.
However after losing out in a play-off recently in Los Angeles and then finishing third a week later in Florida, Casey is primed to win for only a second time on the PGA Tour and again in America’s fourth largest city.
“I managed to turn a six under into a four under but I had some good breaks out there today.
“I just made a couple of poor swings coming down the stretch,” he said.
“So I only have myself to blame but then I did a great job making bogeys on 16 and there at 18.
“I don’t feel bad about that as for me this week is all about not getting caught up too much thinking about Augusta.
“Physically I feel really good. I spent a lot of last week on the bike and it’s just the mental freshness you need to maintain and take on to next week.”
Fowler was early into his first round but when approached on the Golf Club of Houston range remarked: “There’s going to be pressure on every single player next week, and everyone will be trying to do their own thing.
“It’s true that Rory’s definitely going to be a little more under the spotlight but then knowing Rory as well as I do he’ll be more than capable of handling it all.”
Darren Clarke was on the final green and staring at his lowest Houston round in nine years last night until he three-putted from 80 foot at the back of the green in a round of 71.
It was the only three-putt in his round and, like Casey, Clarke bogeyed 16 and 18. “I played 15 good rounds and it was just disappointing to bogey two of the last three,” he said.
“But then there was a lot of good golf out there including a lovely 6-iron to eight feet at the second for birdie.”
American Scott Piercy enjoyed the clubhouse lead in posting a nine under par 63 for a three shot lead over four compatriots including Phil Mickelson who dropped his only shot at the last.
French Ryder Cup rookie Victor Dubuisson is already well-place in a group on five under par.
Padraig Harrington was out in the afternoon half of the field and was three under through 13.
Three-times Masters champion Phil Mickelson looked sharp in his preparation for next week’s season-opening major by firing a six-under-par 66. including chipping in from off the green for a birdie at the par-4 10th.
