Rory Mcilroy at the US Masters

 Rory Mcilroy at the US Masters.

The Irish gentleman with a twinkle in his eye walked out onto the driving ranges and tees of Augusta, Georgia and hundreds of his fans cheered themselves hoarse. Golf was meant to be a good walk spoiled but then what did Mark Twain know about golf?  There are probably prettier sights in the whole wide world of sport but Augusta takes a lot of beating. But the man from the Emerald Isle was smiling from ear to ear, his day complete and mind quietly satisfied. 

Rory Mcilroy ventured onto the first tee at Augusta for the US Masters and even the legends acknowledged his style and regal majesty. Mcilroy is surely one of the most accomplished, refined and polished golfers the world has ever seen. Time will tell whether he can emerge from the likes of Justin Rose and Bryson De Chambeau with a stirring victory and official possession of the Green Jacket. But it all felt so right for the Irishman yesterday and the signs were so good and positive. 

Amid the unforgettable azaleas and dogwoods which decorate the Masters course, you found yourself in complete awe of a man who makes everything he does look so easy. There was a time when most of us must have thought that Gary Player, Lee Trevino and Jack Nicklaus were the only the golfers with an air of statesmanship and admirable composure. Nobody could possibly emulate or surpass the achievements of those from yesteryear but then there was Rory Mcilroy.

But Mcilroy stood in the middle of Georgia, completely detached from all the fuss and commotion, oblivious to fear and anxiety before completing a second round at the Masters that reminded you of the most lyrical poetry ever heard or seen. Wearing both grey shirt and sweat shirt with a white cap and cream coloured trousers, the Northern Irishman repeatedly and consistently birdied with an effortless nonchalance and then executed some of the most difficult looking shots, treating the whole experience as just another day at the office. 

With a near flawless round of under par six with a 66 and 72 in the locker, Mcilroy headed towards the clubhouse like the man who strolls into a gentlemen's menswear outfitters, tries on a pin striped suit and then pops a carnation onto his lapel. For most of Friday afternoon the brilliant Irishman just breathed genius and leisurely insouciance, a calm, measured spring in his step and only thoughts of becoming a champion again. 

Over the years Britain has produced some of the greatest golfing talents ever to bestride a golf course. There was Tony Jacklin who once achieved a hole in one at the British Open, Sandy Lyle and Colin Montgomery, colourful characters with well rounded personalities. There was Nick Faldo, who was allegedly the temperamental bad boy of golf and Peter Ooseterhuis, a smooth and immaculate golfer who just seemed to glide around the fairways and bunkers with all the time in the world. 

But yesterday Mcilroy did everything he was supposed to do. He drove from every hole as if the whole exercise was something that came naturally to him. Standing upright, he addressed the ball with the steadiest of approaches before swinging elegantly, hips swivelling in perfect time and then lifting the heel of his shoe as if barely troubled by any care. Then there were the awkward shots from the pine trees, the ones loaded with complexity but presenting no problem at all. He chipped from shady corners, clipping delicately from the unlikeliest of angles and then putting from immensely long distances to some miraculous spot near the hole. 

Sometimes the great ones never bother about their demanding challenges. This is because golf is all about precision and accuracy, a sport elevated to its highest plateau. There is still something of a middle class, elitist feel about golf, perhaps a petty snobbery and a hint of exclusivity about it, a game simply designed for the wealthy and entitled. 

And yet finally Mcilroy finished the second round of these US Masters with not a bead of sweat pouring from his face. Today in Augusta, springtime will feel like a glorious summer for the Irish master. The job has yet to be done but when the sun sets on Augusta and the strokes have been made, it may be that Rory Mcilroy emerges with a Green Jacket. Britain and golf will welcome him like the all conquering hero and sport will also take off its most respectful cap. It will mean the world to Mcilroy.