• World rankings

McIlroy committed to win-or-bust approach

Rory McIlroy has no issue with his yo-yoing form heading into The Masters, insisting that he would rather fail spectacularly chasing victory than settle for "dull" top-10 finishes.

The world No. 2 looks to have played himself into form for the year's first major in the nick of time after finishing runner-up at the Valero Texas Open, having entered the tournament at the last minute following his struggles at the Shell Houston Open.

But while the Northern Irishman's problems adjusting to his new Nike clubs in 2013 have been well documented, McIlroy will not compromise on his winner-takes-all approach to the sport.

"I do feel as if there will always be highs and lows in my career," McIlroy told The Telegraph. "We always go on about consistency but I always stop and think: 'What if I finished 10th every week?' I'd make a great living, be in all the great events - but it'd be pretty dull.

"I'd never get that feeling that I've beat everyone there is to beat that week, that incredible buzz. I know it doesn't have to be a trade off, but all I'm saying is that if I have to take the down moments to experience those huge highs, then I'll take them, sure."

McIlroy is returning to the scene of perhaps his most notorious capitulation in the pursuit of victory to date, his final-round 80 while leading at the 2011 Masters, but insists that The Masters is his "favourite tournament of the year".

"The 10th, that's one of my favourite holes anywhere and people ask 'how can you say that after what it did for you, with that seven and the cabin and everything?' It didn't do anything to me - I did it to me. I've learned how to play that hole, learned not hit to driver. They say the more you go back to Augusta the more you know where not to bite off too much."

World rankings: 1. Tiger Woods (USA), 2. Rory McIlroy (NIR), 3. Justin Rose (ENG), 4. Luke Donald (ENG), 5. Brandt Snedeker (USA), 6. Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), 7. Adam Scott (AUS), 8. Steve Stricker (USA), 9. Phil Mickelson (USA), 10. Matt Kuchar (USA), 11. Keegan Bradley (USA), 12. Ian Poulter (ENG), 13. Lee Westwood (ENG), 14. Bubba Watson (USA), 15. Charl Schwartzel (RSA), 16. Sergio Garcia (ESP), 17. Graeme McDowell (NIR), 18. Jason Dufner (USA), 19. Dustin Johnson (USA), 20. Webb Simpson (USA)

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.