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PGA favourite McIlroy won't burden himself with targets

Phil CaseyAAP
PGA favourite Rory McIlroy is determined to now savour his career without setting victory targets. (AP PHOTO)
Camera IconPGA favourite Rory McIlroy is determined to now savour his career without setting victory targets. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP

Rory McIlroy has no plans to "burden" himself with victory targets and is determined to enjoy achieving everything he dreamed of following his memorable Masters triumph.

McIlroy's nerve-shredding victory at Augusta National made him just the sixth man to complete a career grand slam and gave him a fifth major title, one behind Sir Nick Faldo and two adrift of Europe's most prolific major winner, Harry Vardon.

And the world No.2 has every chance of equalling Faldo's tally in the 107th US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, a venue where he won his first PGA Tour title in 2010 and has since claimed three more victories, including last year.

"I have achieved everything that I wanted, I've done everything I've wanted to do in the game," McIlroy said before completing his preparations by playing the back nine at a rain-soaked Quail Hollow on Wednesday.

"I dreamed as a child of becoming the best player in the world and winning all the majors. I've done that. Everything beyond this, for however long I decide to play the game competitively, is a bonus.

"If I can just try to get the best out of myself each and every week, I know what my abilities are. I know the golf that I can play.

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"And if I keep turning up and just trying to do that each and every week, especially in these four big ones a year, I know that I'll have my chances.

"I've always said I'm never going to put a number on it. I've talked about trying to become the best European ever or the best international player ever or whatever that is.

"I feel like I sort of burdened myself with the career grand slam stuff, and I want to enjoy this.

"I want to enjoy what I've achieved, and I want to enjoy the last decade or whatever of my career, and I don't want to burden myself by numbers or statistics. I just want to go and try to play the best golf I can."

McIlroy also shrugged off comments from Bryson DeChambeau about their lack of interaction as playing partners during the final round of the Masters.

Asked after slipping to a tie for fifth how McIlroy was feeling as he signed his scorecard, DeChambeau said: "No idea. Didn't talk to me once all day."

Pressed by another reporter on whether he had tried to initiate conversation during the round, the American added: "He wouldn't talk to me."

Asked about those comments on Wednesday, McIlroy said: "I don't know what he was expecting.

"We're trying to win the Masters. I'm not going to try to be his best mate out there.

"Look, everyone approaches the game different ways. I was focused on myself and what I needed to do. That's really all that it was. It wasn't anything against him, it's just I felt that's what I needed to do to try to get the best out of myself that day."

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