Wynne Gray: Green jacket a perfect fit for Irish

Who knows whether Rory McIlroy will pull on the green jacket today as the Masters champion.

Whatever the outcome, the liquid-limber McIlroy seems a natural to peel off a number of Majors in his career.

Still shy of blowing out 22 birthday candles, he has invested deeply in his own development while I have invested hours watching him produce his golfing magic.

He is already a winner to me, no matter what the fates decide in the southern state of Georgia.

It has been a Northern Ireland bonus really, with McIlroy slashing his ball around the ornately manicured Augusta while his countryman David Feherty has brought his captivating blend of wit and observation to the commentary.

Feherty's lines make up for the absence of Gary McCord, a moustachioed, quirky observer whose comments about Augusta were too spicy for the committee, who barred him. Feherty's comments are fast, delicious and appear unscripted. Perhaps they are not, but he has created art in his delivery.

To these ears, some of the magnetism can be attributed to the Irishman's accent, just as it was in rugby when listening to the Scottish brogue of Bill McLaren. But the content can be spicy too from Feherty, a one-time pro who reached for the remedy bottle and the microphone about the same time.

Add in some of Sir Nick Faldo's technical synopsis and their dialogue is a great contrast to the contrived syrup of other observers.

When McIlroy eased one putt across the 15th green and perilously close to plunging into the pond beyond, Feherty slipped in.

"It was the sort of putt," he said, "to turn you from a golfer to a commentator overnight."

McIlroy steadied then bounced away again with that jaunty walk of his, a splash of Irish green on his golfshoes and the arms of his sunglasses, ready to do more battle.

His play is magnetic in that it has a mix of both brash and sensible, bold and calculating.

He exudes charisma. It may be overstating it a touch but he has that Arnold Palmer sort of attraction. There is a cavalier, swashbuckling element to his play which makes him more appealing. No doubt that exuberance will be pared down as he gets older, less flexible and less adventurous and nerveless.

Tiger Woods is in that smoky world as he has battled his comeback uncertainty while trying to hold it together on Augusta's lawns.

Much of Woods' great record has been glued together by his wondrous work with the flat stick. Unerring from six feet and closer, great touch from the wrong side of humps and hollows and an uncanny ability to read greens brought Woods success.

Putting marbles on lineoleum looks easier than rolling your Titleist at Augusta. There is an element of trick-putting on those greens but sometimes, watching Woods and others miss two foot putts offers some comfort to social weekend hackers.

Uncertainty still crackles around Woods as it did for the Warriors, who were trying to crib more points against the Roosters.

If it was good enough for Brad Thorn to alternate codes and for the Warriors to inhabit Eden Park, then it was no sweat for me to tune into Mt Smart Stadium.

Neither side was in top touch, there were too many handling errors and the nasty injury exit of Glen Fisiiahi.

But just like the Blues, the Warriors' main concern will be about the results sheet. They got the gold, the Roosters took nothing except their departure cards.

Same with the Bulls, who were given their Super 15 messages by the Crusaders in Timaru.

The Crusaders were without kingpins Daniel Carter and Richie McCaw, they had also lost rising lock Sam Whitelock but they made no game of it against the Bulls.

Now whether McIlroy can do that and complete a go to whoa victory today at Augusta is uncertain. He looks relaxed and uncommonly young to be hunting that sporting nirvana, although he looks ancient beside Rickie Fowler.

And at the other end of the scale is Fred Couples, who is trying to be the oldest winner of the famed event.

Couples appears cooler than anyone, without any apparent worries, cruising round the course in a pair of tennis shoes with his fluid swing.

That appearance could be a front, Couples may be churning inside like a meat grinder. No doubt McIlroy will be, but I hope Feherty interviews him later today 'cos we all know what that means.