RORY'S RESET TO REIGN

Faldo urges Mcliroy to ditch the distractions to land Augusta glory

- NEIL McLEMAN

SIR NICK FALDO has claimed Rory McIlroy has to “free” himself of negativity and distractions to finally win the Masters this week.

The Northern Irishman missed the cut last year after taking the unofficial role as the PGA Tour’s anti-LIV spokesman – and then conducting an on-course interview during his round.

Three-time Masters champion Faldo insisted McIlroy is in the prime of his career a month before reaching his 35th birthday.

But Faldo said: “Unfortunately it’s going on, time after time. It’s not just this season. There’s four or five or six years of scar tissue now, of Rory coming in as favourite and playing great.”

However, as McIlroy approaches the 10th anniversary of his last Major win in August 2014, he has resigned from the PGA Tour Policy Board, had a lesson from Butch Harmon and changed his pre-Masters routine in search of his elusive career Grand Slam.

And after finishing third at the Texas Valero Open, McIlroy said: “I definitely feel like I’m in a better place than I was a few weeks ago.