Rory McIlroy has explained how several weeks of preparation at his “home course” Augusta National, following the advice of Jack Nicklaus, played a key role in his successful Masters defence.
Instead of playing in PGA Tour events in the lead-up to the Masters, McIlroy spent considerable time at Augusta in the lead-up to the Masters, despite competitive disruptions due to a back injury. On one occasion, it is understood that he played the front nine in 29 while playing with the same ball.
After defeating Scotty Scheffler by one stroke, the Northern Irishman and now six-time major winner pointed to his deliberate buildup. Before leaving Augusta, McIlroy said, “I joked last week that this place feels like my home course.” “I haven’t really played anywhere else in the last two or three weeks. I felt prepared that way. I felt like I’m prepared wherever I hit it on the golf course, I know what to expect. I know where to miss. I’m pretty comfortable with all the shots around the greens.
“It’s a good blueprint. I’m not going to take three weeks off before every major, but to get to the majors early, do your preparation, play. And not just play and watch things, but actually play. Go out there with a ball, make a score and try to do it that way.
“When I’ve talked to Jack Nicklaus over the years about how he prepared for a major, he’d go a week before and he’d simulate a tournament. He’d play ball for four days, keep score. So when he got to the tournament, it felt like second nature to him. I did that a little bit and I think it’s definitely a good way to prepare going into the next major.”
Expect to see plenty of McIlroy at the venues of the three remaining majors in 2026; Aronimink, Shinnecock Hills and Royal Birkdale. After the emotions and adjustments associated with the 2025 Masters, where McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam, he believes he will reset much faster.
“I was happy last year that the whole Grand Slam was done, because that’s what I was chasing,” McIlroy said. “And now moving forward, everything is the icing on the cake or the cherry on top, the whole gravy, whatever you want to call it. “But I feel like I can just go and play my game and have a chance to win a lot of big championships.”
Scheffler stopped short of criticizing tournament organizers, but eyebrows were clearly raised over the situation Friday afternoon, when McIlroy birdied six of the final seven holes at Augusta. “I’m not in charge of the course setup,” Scheffler said. “I would have liked if Thursday and Friday were a little more equal in terms of firmness. I was a little surprised by how soft things were on Friday afternoon, especially since it was late in the day.
“But weather also changes and there was a little wind on Thursday, so who knows. It’s part of the game.”
