McIlroy needs to focus on Augusta bid rather than court dates

“Rory’s sole focus should be on peaking for that second week in April.”

Rory McIlroy may never have a better chance to win The Masters than next April.

But he is putting that opportunity in jeopardy if he ends up in an Irish court in February over his dispute with his former management company.

If Rory wins at Augusta, it would be his third Major in a row and would complete his career Grand Slam to etch his name into golfing folklore.

No one will remember the result of his court case. Anyway, the only real winners in that will be the lawyers for both sides.

Rory’s sole focus should be on peaking for that second week in April. He is 25, the best player in the world and he’s been unstoppable this summer.

He wants to be out on the course or practising, not having countless meetings with lawyers and advisers.

The last thing he needs is outside interference stopping him.

The case is due to go to court in February, but imagine if there is a complication or it takes longer than expected.

Suddenly Rory would begin to feel it was eating into his preparation time for Augusta.

In golf, you just don’t know what could suddenly derail your career.

Tiger Woods hasn’t won a Major since his off-course activities were exposed, while Henrik Stenson struggled for a few years after suffering big financial losses to disgraced financier Allen Stanford.

This is already having an effect on Rory because he has pulled out of the two events in China in the next two weeks to focus on the case.

It’s unfortunate timing and bad news for the sponsors and the European Tour as they lose their main attraction for the first two events of the lucrative ‘Final Series’.

Then when the case begins, all attention will be on that and not on the tournaments taking place.

One of the worst things is that Graeme McDowell is so heavily implicated in this too, but for the other side. This could have a major effect on his season, too.

It’s impossible not to think their friendship won’t suffer, however much they argue to the contrary.

And in these austere times, the sight of two multi-millionaire golfers arguing over the percentages of lucrative contracts will not portray the sport in a good light.

Documents will become public that I’m certain both men would prefer to remain private, and it will be an uncomfortable experience for all concerned.

However, as McIlroy proved by winning at Wentworth in the same week as breaking off his engagement to Caroline Wozniacki, he is better than most at shrugging off problems.

He might get the result he wants in Dublin’s Commercial Court, but hopefully not at the expense of the one we want to see at Augusta.