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Augusta, Georgia: Rory McIlroy\u2019s emotional journey to golfing immortality was littered with a decade of heartbreaks and humiliation, but the Masters champion revealed there was one final awkward interaction in the lead-up to his victory at Augusta National last year.<\/p>\n
On the Tuesday night before his maiden Masters triumph, McIlroy and Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose were invited by several Augusta National members to dinner in the clubhouse.<\/p>\n
![\"Rory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/6ee00cfe3fe96ba20c95057c67bcfed959963af0.jpeg\")
Rory McIlroy practices at Augusta this week ahead of the 2026 US Masters.AP<\/p>\n
When McIlroy drove up Magnolia Lane, he remembered the annual champion\u2019s dinner was happening in a separate area of the famed club.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe champions were having their cocktails out on the balcony; I\u2019m like, \u2018I don\u2019t want to valet [and] get out, [because] they\u2019re going to see me, and it\u2019s going to be weird\u2019,\u201d said McIlroy, who at the time owned a runner-up among seven top 10s at the Masters.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had this really awkward moment. Thankfully, that was the last time that I needed to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
As fate would have it, the 2025 Masters would culminate with McIlroy in a sudden-death playoff against Rose<\/a>. By making birdie to win the green jacket, the Northern Irishman \u2013 who already boasted a US Open, British Open and two PGA Championships \u2013 became the sixth winner of the career grand slam in golf\u2019s long history.<\/p>\n Throughout the year, McIlroy took the green jacket on a worldwide tour that included a stunning victory at the Irish Open, a career debut in India and a return to the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been an amazing 12 months bringing this thing all around the world, [seeing] the excitement on people\u2019s faces when they see it, that I still get putting it on,\u201d the 29-time PGA Tour winner said.<\/p>\n His green jacket was hard-earned. Golf\u2019s heir apparent to Tiger Woods, McIlroy\u2019s 2014 British Open win at Royal Liverpool<\/a> left the Masters as the missing piece of his slam puzzle. Reporters\u2019 questions at Augusta were both fair and relentless for 10 years.<\/p>\n Related Article It\u2019s why McIlroy clapped back in good spirits in his winning Masters press conference last year: \u201cWhat are we all going to talk about next year?\u201d<\/p>\n On Tuesday, reporters reminded the 36-year-old of that remark. \u201cI think the story as it relates to me is what do I do from now onwards? What motivates me?\u201d McIlroy said.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, I felt like the career grand slam was my destination, and I got there, and then I realised it wasn\u2019t the destination. There\u2019s still a lot that I want to do.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is so nice to walk around [Augusta] and not have that hanging over me, like it feels that it\u2019s a big weight off my shoulders.\u201d<\/p>\n The question is whether that weightless feeling can trigger a free-flowing McIlroy, whose soaring right-to-left shot shape with the driver and sky-high iron shots were seemingly created in a lab for Augusta National\u2019s dogleg tee shots and heavily contoured greens.<\/p>\n Making his 18th Masters appearance, McIlroy believes he\u2019s now playing with house money.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the past 17 years, I just could not wait for the tournament to start, and this year I wouldn\u2019t care if the tournament never started,\u201d the world No.2 said. \u201cI feel so much more relaxed [but] it doesn\u2019t make me any less motivated to go out there and try to win the tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n McIlroy feels Augusta is his best chance at a sixth major victory, given it\u2019s the only one of the four championships to return to the same golf course. \u201cI feel I\u2019ve got another 10 good shots at it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cNot that I don\u2019t at the other majors, but everything here is a little more predictable.\u201d<\/p>\n McIlroy was also preparing to host the Tuesday champion\u2019s dinner in front of golf greats, including Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Nick Faldo. Aside from a customary speech, McIlroy also had to set the menu.<\/p>\n Social media criticised his menu as too universal and omnivorous, with peach and ricotta flatbread, grilled elk sliders, tuna carpaccio, wagyu filet mignon and salmon among the dishes.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople keep asking me, \u2018Why didn\u2019t you go more Irish?\u2019 And I said, \u2018Because I want to enjoy the dinner as well,\u2019\u201d McIlroy said with a laugh. \u201cI tried to do a few things that I thought everyone would eat.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Article McIlroy\u2019s results in 2026 have left a lot to be desired, apart from top three results at the DP World Tour\u2019s Dubai Invitational and the PGA Tour\u2019s Genesis Invitational. It\u2019s no cause for concern; Augusta has a knack for inspiring a group of usual suspects to contend every year, from champions like Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples and Scottie Scheffler to regular contenders Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau.<\/p>\n McIlroy has been practising diligently in his Florida base having not teed up since last month\u2019s Players Championship.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel comfortable on the golf course, [and] with my game,\u201d McIlroy said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a good three weeks at home getting ready physically and mentally \u2026 for everything that this week is going to throw at me.\u201d<\/p>\n At least the Masters can no longer throw a party McIlroy isn\u2019t invited to.<\/p>\n News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Rory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/772c9beae28e241db95c14c1c3269daa5283970c.jpeg\")
Rory McIlroy poses with the Masters trophy after winning in 2025.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Heartbreak:](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775646193_594_4bc32795eb2e989330e32367e159f6aa6b643b8e.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Rory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/6a23d041e112f44e62d8a135f8071619c35a95ed.jpeg\")
Rory McIlroy during a practice round at Augusta this week.AP<\/p>\n![\"Tiger](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ca69a557fcfc37f0e051d225b555d03b9cfde434.jpeg\")
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