Phil Mickelson has expressed understanding for the pressure Rory McIlroy is under as he seeks to secure his first Masters title and complete the career Grand Slam. Especially after another plan came and went last year.

McIlroy’s resume lacks only the Masters title, despite having clinched four major championships between 2011 and 2014. However, since his second PGA Championship victory at Valhalla over a decade ago, the Northern Irishman has been in pursuit of his fifth major win – including U.S. Open heartache last year.

The quest for the green jacket has been widely documented, with the pressure seemingly mounting on the PGA Tour star as the wait continues.

As this year’s tournament approaches, chatter about McIlroy finally breaking his streak has intensified, especially given his form on the Tour, which includes two victories this season. After winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he secured The Players Championship last month, and there is no doubt he is hoping win No. 3 comes in Georgia next week.

Mickelson, a three-time winner at Augusta and a six-time major winner, waited several years before achieving his first major victory at the Masters in 2004. He acknowledges the similar pressures McIlroy is facing but believes his Tour competitor has the skills to rise above the surrounding buzz.

Phil Mickelson had his say on McIlroy’s chances at Augusta (Image: Getty Images)

“Yeah, that’s challenging,” Mickelson said of McIlroy’s quest to overcome mental scars. “But he’s done it so many times in his ability to win tournaments. He’s been able to compartmentalize that. I don’t think that’s going to be an issue for him. I think he drives the ball so long and straight that he has a huge advantage on that golf course.

“He and about 20 guys that drive it like he does will have an advantage of playing it a certain way. They can play it a certain way that is much more aggressive and take advantage of holes than some others, than guys like myself.

“You still have to execute, you still have to hit the shots, and I think that’s what he’s focused on,” indicated Mickelson. “I think his ability to compartmentalize all the things that have transpired in the past is a strength of his, so I don’t think it’ll be an issue or I don’t think that’s what’s holding him back from winning the Masters.”

Mickelson also took a moment to highlight the opportunity ahead for LIV Golf players amid the ongoing rivalry with the PGA Tour. Discussing his chances, he said: “I’m always just absolutely blindly confident in my abilities.

“I think all of us up here, every time we tee it up, we think we’re going to win, and that’s why they have accomplished a lot of what they have and everything that they have.”