Rory McIlroy and Augusta National will be intrinsically linked forever after his Masters win in April 2025.
McIlroy finally tasted success at Augusta National on his 17th Masters appearance.
The 36-year-old was brought to tears on the final green when he holed his three-foot putt to beat Justin Rose in a playoff.
McIlroy finally won The Masters and completed the career Grand Slam in the process.
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McIlroy’s 2026 season begins this week out in Dubai.
He will be building up to the Masters in April in the hope of defending his crown and building on his legacy.
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McIlroy returned to Augusta National a couple of weeks back for a little bit of solo time.
It was a highly emotional return to Augusta for the five-time major champion.
When speaking during Sky Sports’ TV broadcast of the Dubai Invitational, Wayne Riley shared what McIlroy told him about his recent trip back to Augusta National.
“I just had a good chat with Rory as we’ve got a little delay here,“ Riley said.
“He went back to Augusta a couple of weeks ago did Rory McIlroy, the first time he has cruised down Magnolia Lane since his great win there.
“And I said, ‘What was that like?’ He said, ‘Very, very emotional’.
“He stayed the night in one of the little cabins by himself. He said, ‘I was just sat there and watched TV. I ate some amazing food and drank some very nice wine’.
“So it was incredible.
“I asked about the golf course, what it’s like now, only a few months away from the Masters.
“He said that it’s very similar. The fairways are just a little longer, but it’s still very, very green, it’s not dormant. No.
“I suppose Augusta’s Augusta.“
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McIlroy will be incredibly excited about returning to Augusta National as the defending champion in April.
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With the monkey off his back now, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he goes on to win more green jackets.
Augusta National, on paper, is ideally suited to McIlroy’s game.
His Masters victory in 2025 was one of the most dramatic final major championship rounds we have seen in recent history.
The challenge for him now will be to refocus and set new goals. He has achieved everything he set out to do in the game.
Now McIlroy needs to motivate himself again with some fresh challenges.
How does becoming only the fourth golfer in the history of the game to defend The Masters sound?
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