Rory McIlroy is currently at home, prepping for his massive championship defense at the Augusta National next week. The golfer managed to finally secure his Masters win last season, after chasing it for more than a decade. With his victory, he became only the sixth golfer in history to complete the career grand slam, having won all four golf major titles.
After the 2026 Players Championship, McIlroy took a hiatus from all competitions until the 2026 Masters, claiming to be practicing at home. Interestingly, prior to his title defense, the golfer released a photo of himself wearing the coveted green jacket alongside all four major championship trophies. In the photo, McIlroy has all three trophies on his left side and the Masters trophy on his right.
In the caption of his X post, Rory McIlroy stated that winning all of these trophies was a dream for him and that bringing them back home is surreal. The caption reads,
“As a kid growing up in Northern Ireland, I dreamed of winning all four majors. Being able to bring these trophies home was truly surreal.”
McIlroy will be heading to Augusta National in the next couple of days, as he will be a part of the Masters dinner on Tuesday next week. The golfer will attend Augusta’s hallmark dinner for the first time in his career, where previous tournament winners come to dine with the golf course’s chairman. Interestingly, the defending winner chooses the meal every season, and this year, McIlroy is bringing his own flavors.
Apart from this, the golfer also talked about the Augusta golf course and which part is his favourite.
Rory McIlroy shares his favorite tee hole at the Augusta National
On March 18, Rory McIlroy attended a special Masters press conference where he discussed a variety of topics about the tournament and the golf course. There, the Northern Irish golfer also discussed the tee holes at Augusta, noting that holes 7, 14, and 17 are among his favorites to play on.
According to Asap Sports, McIlroy stated,
“I think it frames, and it sort of shows you what you need to do. You know, the two bunkers there at the corner of the fairway, obviously the narrow chute you’re hitting through. The hole and the shape of the hole dictate what you have to do, and I’ve always liked that about that hole.”
The career grand slam winner went on to add,
“And then, I would say, 7, 14, and 17 have always been the driving holes that have been a little more uncomfortable for me. They are very straightforward. They are basically the opposite of what the 18th hole does for you. You have options about what shots to hit. Those holes going in that direction have always been, I wouldn’t say an Achilles’ heel, but I’ve always had to just think about those a little more.”
The 2026 Masters will begin on April 9, and apart from Rory McIlroy, a lot of other big names are going to be a part of the tournament, including Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, and many more.
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