Rory McIlroy’s win at The Masters in 2025 came after arguably the most enthralling finish to a major championship in modern history.
Rory McIlroy will be hopeful of defending The Masters title that he won 12 months ago this year, when he returns to Augusta National next month.
And now he has given the Augusta National hierarchy the perfect opportunity to kick off the 2026 edition of The Masters with a bang.
Do you think Rory McIlroy will win a major in 2026?
His game is trending but winning majors is always an incredibly difficult thing to do…
McIlroy went into The Masters last year on the back of two huge PGA Tour wins at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Players Championship.
However, he is yet to win so far in 2026 and will be hoping that Augusta and more specifically, the memories from last year, help him rediscover his best form.
The five-time major champion has already been very outspoken in the build-up to the first major of the year.
That’s not unusual for McIlroy. He has always been someone who voices his opinion authentically without fear of repercussions.
Rory McIlroy’s Bryson DeChambeau comments ahead of The Masters
McIlroy and DeChambeau were paired in the final group at The Masters in 2025, and the pair clearly didn’t see eye to eye.
At the time, DeChambeau suggested McIlroy didn’t say a single word to him throughout the final round.
However, McIlroy has now opened up on one exchange that he shared with the LIV Golf star.
“Both of us want to putt first, because if you can hole that putt before your opponent, it puts pressure on them” McIlroy said.
“He [DeChambeau] goes ‘so why don’t we just throw a tee up for it to see who goes first?’ I’m like ‘no, this is the final round of the Masters, this isn’t some game on a Tuesday afternoon somewhere!’ I wasn’t going to wilt in that situation, I was going to stand firm.”
McIlroy then suggested that they should call a rules official to measure the two putts, but DeChambeau declined, telling the Northern Irishman to go ahead and putt first.
There is quite obviously animosity present between the two golfers – a mutual feeling that has been festering since DeChambeau’s move to LIV Golf in 2022 and McIlroy’s subsequent comments about the Saudi-backed golf league.
And after McIlroy’s latest remarks on his discussion with DeChambeau on the ninth green during the final round of The Masters last year, Augusta National has the opportunity to make this year’s edition truly spectacular viewing for golf fans.
There’s a good chance it won’t happen but these kinds of opportunities only come around so often in professional golf!
Augusta National could make the 2026 Masters pure box-office
If the Masters organizers really cared about the fans, they would pair Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau alongside each other for the first two rounds of The Masters.
Who looks more likely to win The Masters right now?
Neither Rory nor Scottie have been at their best so far this year
McIlroy will, of course, be playing with reigning U.S. Amateur champion, Mason Howell, during the first two rounds of The Masters, but there is still room for one more player.
The powers that be at Augusta National obviously won’t put Bryson DeChambeau in the same group as McIlroy and Howell; it’s just not their style.
But my word, would it be box office viewing!
Of course, there is a chance that the two golfers will be drawn together over the weekend, just like they were on Sunday in 2025.
However, wouldn’t it be great if the Augusta National hierarchy gave the fans what they want to see on Thursday and Friday by placing DeChambeau in the group alongside McIlroy and Howell during the first two rounds of The Masters?
There surely cannot be one golf fan who wouldn’t want to see this!
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