McIlroy eyes breakfast in Champions Locker Room

Former world number one determined to win golf Masters

AUGUSTA: Rory McIlroy cannot begin to contemplate a career where he will be ineligible to have breakfast in the Masters Champions Locker Room at Augusta National.

McIlroy singled out the likes of Greg Norman and Ernie Els, who have both been denied such an opportunity and then witnessed younger players who grew up idolising them succeed at Augusta.

There is defending champion Adam Scott, who as a youngster had pictures of Norman about his bedroom.

Then there is Els, the best golfer to come out of South Africa since Gary Player, but no doubt painstakingly having to congratulate Masters winning countrymen Trevor Immelman and Charl Schwartzel.

It is why McIlroy desperately seeks to become the first Irish golfer to be fitted out with a green jacket.

"It has to be tough because you can look at someone like Norman seeing Adam win last year," said McIlroy.

"Then there's Ernie and he sees Trevor winning, he sees Charl win. It's why I'm determined at 24 that I don't want to get to that point when I'm 44.

"I just cannot contemplate a career without a green jacket as the Masters just stands out from the other majors because we go back to the same venue every year.

"I'd be disappointed if I ended my career and wasn't able to go up and have breakfast in the Champions Locker Room.”

Omens encourage McIlroy

While rain washed out much of the first official practice round on Monday, McIlroy will now be smiling when he steps onto the 10th tee.

Not only did the recent ice storm bring down the famed Eisenhower Tree, but it also felled the large overhanging branch that had come in the way of his ball during his gut-wrenching 2011 Masters meltdown.

Then there's the bizarre statistic that on the four occasions Tiger Woods has not contested a Major an Irish golfer has succeeded — Padraig Harrington 2008 British Open and 2008 PGA, McIlroy 2011 US Open and Darren Clarke 2011 British Open.

"That's a good omen," he said smiling. "I'm not that superstitious but maybe it gives you an extra bit of 'Oh, I might have a bit of an extra chance this week’.”