Just over a year ago, Rory McIlroy’s recent Masters success was unfathomable.
The entirety of Augusta National was behind McIlroy as he painstakingly pursued the Career Grand Slam and his first Green Jacket. And when he sank the winning putt, there has rarely been a more popular Masters winner.
Then amazingly, the Northern Irishman did it again the following year. He became just the fourth man to win back-to-back Masters, retaining the Green Jacket in a typically dramatic fashion.
But this time around, while still a popular winner, McIlroy wasn’t the fan favorite. LPGA superstar Charley Hull revealed who she was rooting for to win this year’s Masters over McIlroy.
McIlroy beat Justin Rose in a playoff at last year’s Masters, and many wanted him to finally claim his first Masters title after so many near-misses. He led at the turn, but a series of mistakes on the second nine cost him the win.
Among those rooting for Rose was Hull, who still congratulated her fellow TaylorMade athlete, McIlroy, after his win.
Speaking for the Chevron Championship, Hull said, “I thought it was pretty cool what he did. I think I put on social media or something like that, or texted my friends, it’s pretty cool what he’s done.
“It’s a shame that Justin Rose didn’t get over the line because obviously he’s English and I like Justin. I played with him at The Grant Thornton. But what Rory did was pretty crazy, especially how he started the front nine.”
Hull teamed up with Rose at the Grant Thornton Invitational, an event which saw PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players team up, so Hull was naturally hoping Rose would get this one over the line.
It wasn’t to be this year, however, and Rose will have to wait yet another year to achieve his Masters dream.
This year’s Chevron Championship, the first major of the season for the LPGA Tour players, is being played at Memorial Park. The PGA Tour played at the very same course a month ago for the Houston Open, and Hull was asked if she watched it to see how the course played.
In her answer, Hull admitted that she only watched The Masters and The Open Championship. She said, “I don’t really watch golf. It’s just something — because I think I play it so much, I enjoy playing and practicing with my friends at home. I never really come back and watch a tournament.
“Pretty much the only tournament I watch is the Masters or the men’s British Open. I find them pretty exciting to watch.
“But my coach has been there a couple of times with the men’s event because he teaches Alex Noren and Matt Wallace. He’s like telling me where they tee off from and how the golf course usually plays. When they played here, apparently it’s a lot firmer. With the rain, it’s going to be playing a little bit differently.”
Memorial Park was a bomber’s paradise at the Houston Open, but with the recent rain, expect it to be a more strategic test, with long irons into par fours instead of wedges.
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