PGA Tour star reveals magical gift Rory McIlroy wore for good luck every day before Masters win
McIlroy, 36, finally completed his career Grand Slam in April with victory at Augusta, bringing an 11-year wait for the elusive Green Jacket to an end.
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But it was something else green that helped him achieve that career high.
The Northern Irishman was sporting a pounamu necklace around his neck every day when he drove up Magnolia Lane.
The precious green stone, which is revered by Maori and New Zealanders, was gifted to him by former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key while on a social golf trip to the country's Tara Iti course last December.
Fellow PGA Tour pro and New Zealand native, Ryan Fox, was along on that golf trip too and told the media about McIlroy's good luck charm for the Masters.
He said this week: "Yeah, when we played last year at Tara Iti, he was gifted a pounamu by John Key.
"Rors kind of said to me the first time I saw him after Augusta, and I'd just won Myrtle Beach [Classic], as well, 'John had gifted me that and I felt like it was good luck. I wore it down Magnolia Lane every day.'
"John actually texted me a photo of him in a golf cart with Rory wearing his pounamu, which was really cool.'
He added: "[Key] explains what it means a lot better than what I can, but it's a mark of prestige. We call it 'mana' [spiritual power and charisma].
"It was a pretty cool thing for John to do and obviously it meant a lot to Rory. It was a nice little story that he had a little bit of Kiwi on him when he was at Augusta.'
McIlroy seems to have an affinity to things down under and, according to Fox, has committed to heading to Australia for the Australian Open this winter.
He added: "Yeah, obviously Rory seems to love our part of the world, he had a great time at Tara Iti last year, and I know he's keen to go back at some point if he can during his busy schedule.
"But it's great to have a little piece of New Zealand [the pounamu] that he loved.
'I've already talked to him about coming down to play the Aussie Open and he can't be more excited about playing Royal Melbourne in a tournament, so that's pretty cool.'
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