Masters 2017: Rory McIlroy confident after 99 practice holes at Augusta National - BBC Sport
Rory McIlroy says he has tried to make Augusta National feel like his "home golf course" as he seeks a maiden Masters title.
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Rory McIlroy has sought to make Augusta National like his "home golf course" during frequent practice sessions as he seeks his first Masters title.

The 27-year-old Northern Irishman has played 99 practice holes so far, with nine more to come on Wednesday.

"It's been a quiet build-up compared to previous years and I haven't minded that - it's been quite nice," he said.

"I feel good, like my game is there. I feel ready to go," the world number two told BBC Radio 5 live.

"I feel like I've done everything I can do to prepare. It's just a case of going out there and hitting the shots I need to."

Victory this week would see McIlroy become just the sixth player to complete a grand slam of majors, adding to his US PGA Championship titles from 2012 and 2014, his 2014 Open Championship win and the US Open success he recorded in 2011.

Last year he chose to sit out the traditional Par 3 contest - played on the eve of the Masters - to focus on winning the main event, but finished tied for 10th, his third top-10 finish in a row.

Famously, no player has ever won Wednesday's curtain-raiser and gone on to win the main prize in the same year.

He will play in this year's Par 3 competition, adding to the number of holes he has amassed on the course in the run-up to the season's first major.

"The more you can make Augusta National feel like your home golf course, the better," added McIlroy.

"I've played here a good bit in recent weeks. I've shot good scores and I feel like I know what I am doing here. It's all there. I know it's all there, it's just a matter of going out there and doing it.

"That's the difficult thing - it's almost like getting out of your own way and letting your subconscious take over."

McIlroy, who picked up a £7.7m bonus in September by winning last year's PGA Tour points race, begins his first round at 18:41 BST on Thursday alongside Japan's Hideto Tanihara and Spain's Jon Rahm.