Rory McIlroy says Bay Hill ‘validation’ has filled him with Masters optimism

• Masters is the one major still to elude the Northern Irishman
• ‘I feel like I’ve crossed that line that I needed to’Rory McIlroy has admitted Sunday’s long-awaited victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational supplied the “validation” he can draw upon ahead of another Masters tilt. McIlroy, who returns to action at the WGC Match Play on Wednesday, closed with a stunning 64 to prevail at Bay Hill. The success was timely; the Northern Irishman’s