Rory McIlroy typically does not play the week before a major championship, but he will use the Valero Texas Open as preparation for the Masters this year.
Rory McIlroy working with legendary swing coach, Butch Harmon, ahead of Masters
McIlroy visited Harmon’s camp to help fix a consistent problem in his swing as he looks for the career grand slam at the 88th Masters.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
It appears he is looking to put into practice something he might have learned recently.
Reports surfaced Tuesday that Rory McIlroy and legendary golf coach Butch Harmon have begun working together, or he at least saw him for a lesson in Las Vegas.
McIlroy spent time with Harmon after a T19 finish at The Players, per Golf WRX.
The Irishman is phenomenal with his driver but has fought with his irons all season.
Entering the San Antonio event this weekend, McIlroy is No. 2 in strokes gained off the tee. However, he is No. 119 in strokes gained approach to the green, No. 134 around the green, and No. 94 in putting.
McIlroy started this year off strong with a second-place and a win in Dubai on the DP World Tour. Yet, his iron play is primarily the reason why he has not recorded a top-10 on the PGA Tour in 2024.
He and Harmon aren’t strangers to each other.
They have probably worked with each other a lot more than the public realizes. However, the 24-time PGA Tour winner felt it was time for a visit after The Players.
The 80-year-old swing coach helped Tiger Woods win his first eight majors. He has coached multiple players, including Tommy Fleetwood, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson. Harmon is a legend.
McIlroy confirmed he visited Harmon on former PGA Tour golfer Morgan Hoffman’s podcast, ‘I Can Fly.’
“I went last week to see Butch Harmon for a golf lesson,” McIlroy told Hoffmann. “I’ve seen him over the years, like once every few years, I’ll say, ‘Hey, Butch, can I just come see you? You can take a look and see what you think.’”
He didn’t go into details of the lesson but highlighted something his daughter told him.
“I’m leaving for the airport last Wednesday morning and Poppy said to me, ‘Dada where are you going?’ And I said I’m going to go for a golf lesson,” McIlroy explained. “‘I’ll be back in a couple of days.’ She goes, ‘But, Dada, you already know how to play golf.’ I was like that’s probably the best piece of advice I’ve gotten in the last few years.”
McIlroy knows how to play this game and has done so at an elite level for years. Struggles happen to the best athletes, but those words from Poppy will likely sit with him for a long time.
Harmon can remind him of that, which is probably why the World No. 2 golfer sees him every few years.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
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