The article details a garden party held before the 2025 Masters Tournament, where golf legends Nick Faldo and Ben Crenshaw discuss Rory McIlroy's potential to finally win the Masters. Crenshaw expresses optimism, asserting McIlroy is currently the best player in the world and declaring this must be his year. Faldo, while supportive, raises questions about which version of McIlroy will compete at Augusta. The next day, golfing icons like Nicklaus continue to echo sentiments of McIlroy's importance to the sport, further emphasizing anticipation surrounding the tournament.
Then the topic of conversation turned to Rory McIlroy. Voices turned desperate. Crenshaw sounded like a cleric, imploring everyone to keep the faith. Now 73, with a head of wispy white hair, the two-time Masters winner (1984, 1995) looks and sounds as trustworthy as anyone. So everyone nodded when Crenshaw said nobody in the world is playing better golf than McIlroy. This is the year, he said. This has to be the year. Crenshaw predicted McIlroy would win his first Masters this week.
Faldo agreed. The six-time major winner won thrice in Augusta 1989, 1990, 1996 and said McIlroy has always been a natural fit for the course. Faldo not only picked McIlroy this week but also said he'd be outright rooting for him. Then came a sigh. Faldo wondered aloud which version of McIlroy would show up at Augusta. Would it be the happy version? The analytical version? The disassociated version? It sounded like Faldo was describing a man in a house of mirrors.
The next morning brought Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Gary Player. Eleven Masters between 'em. The tournament's honorary starters donned their green jackets and entered the media center after hitting the day's opening tee shots. The topic of conversation, again, turned to Rory McIlroy. I think Rory McIlroy will win the Masters this year, and I hope he does because it would give golf a great boost to have a champion of his stature.
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