Masters 2023: Tiger Woods backs Rory McIlroy to complete career Grand Slam at Augusta

Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods believes "it's just a matter of time" before Rory McIlroy wins at Augusta.

This year is the Northern Irishman's 15th attempt to win the only major to have so far eluded him - and ninth try to complete the career Grand Slam.

American Woods, who has won 15 majors, said: "Rory has the talent, he has the game and all the tools to win here.

"Whether it is this year or next, he will get it done and have a career Grand Slam." 

Woods, who won his fifth Green Jacket in 2019, added: "A lot of things have to happen to win at this golf course, a lot of things have to go right and Rory has shown over the years that he has learned how to play this golf course. You just have to understand how to play.

"He's been there. Last year he made a great run and put himself there but I think it is just a matter of time."

• Podcast: All about the 87th Masters - preview

• Will the stars finally align for McIlroy?

• McIlroy to adopt Woods' risk-averse Augusta plan

McIlroy has said he will try to stay clear of "outside noise" and putting himself in a "bubble" is key to his preparation at Augusta.

Speaking to BBC Sport Northern Ireland, the world number two added that he tends not to read news articles or watch the build-up to the year's first major on television.

When asked if he finds it easy to insulate himself from speculation about his chances of finally conquering Augusta, McIlroy said: "Yeah, it's something I've just had to do here over the last few years. It's actually, a bit of a digital detox. I don't look at my phone as much.

"Whenever I go home, I'm certainly not watching anything to do with golf, it's usually a movie Poppy (his daughter) wants to watch, so it's actually a nice way to get away from it.

"I try to put myself in my own bubble for the week. It's the only way that I know how to shield myself from all the noise."

McIlroy has had a complicated relationship with Augusta over the years. In 2011, he held a four-shot lead going into the final round only to shoot himself out of contention with an eight-over 80.

Last year, his final-round 64 saw him finish second to Scottie Scheffler, and while he encountered another major near-miss at The Open, he arrives at Augusta with four wins since June and a third-place finish in his last start, at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship.

"I'm excited and I'm pretty confident too," he said.

"I feel like my game's rounding into good form. I started the year off pretty well, struggled at The Players but played well at the Match Play and figured a couple of things out.

"My game's in good shape. I don't feel like I need to do anything differently here. The way I've played over the past 18 months, if I play like that I'll have a good chance."

Only five players - Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods - have won the career Grand Slam and McIlroy admits the prospect of joining that elite club makes him more nervous at Augusta than at any other course.

"I think with the experiences I've had at this place, I definitely feel more nervous on the first tee here than I do at any other tournament," said McIlroy, who won the last of his four majors in 2014.

"But I'd guess other players would say the same thing. There's such a build-up to this tournament, the last major championship was played eight or nine months ago.

"The build-up is huge for this one compared to the others and I think all of that culminates into a few more nerves on the first tee."