Rory McIlroy eager to enjoy breakfast of champions
Curious culinary privilege afforded winners at tradition-laden Augusta National helps drive Northern Irishman in his quest for maiden win there
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.
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.
Then there's Els, and the best golfer to come out of South Africa since Gary Player, graciously, but no doubt painstakingly having to congratulate Masters winning countrymen Trevor Immelman and Charl Schwartzel.
It's 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 Greg Norman seeing Adam win last year," said McIlroy.
"Then there's Ernie and he sees Trevor [Immelman] winning, he sees Charl win, and he sees all these young South Africans playing so well, like Louis [Oosthuizen] going so close in a play-off against Bubba [Watson].