Rory McIlroy has revealed that weeks of preparation at Augusta National, which he described as his 'home course', were key to his successful Masters title defence. The Northern Irishman, who beat Scottie Scheffler by one stroke to secure his sixth major, said he followed advice from Jack Nicklaus by simulating tournament conditions during practice rounds.
McIlroy, who did not play in PGA Tour events before the Masters due to a back injury, spent considerable time at Augusta. On one occasion, he reportedly played the front nine in 29 strokes with a single ball. 'I haven’t played anywhere else in the last two or three weeks really,' McIlroy said. 'I felt prepared that wherever I hit it on the golf course, I sort of know what to do.'
The 36-year-old explained that Nicklaus advised him to go to major venues early and play competitively. 'When I’ve talked to Jack Nicklaus over the years, how he prepared for majors, he would go the week before and simulate a tournament. He’d play one ball for four days, shoot scores. So then when he got to the tournament, it felt second nature to him.'
McIlroy now plans to adopt a similar approach for the remaining majors of 2026 at Aronimink, Shinnecock Hills and Royal Birkdale. He believes that completing the career grand slam at the 2025 Masters has lifted a weight off his shoulders. 'I was glad last year that the whole grand slam thing was done,' he said. 'Now going forward, everything is icing on the cake.'
Runner-up Scottie Scheffler expressed surprise at the course conditions on Friday, when McIlroy birdied six of the last seven holes. 'I was a bit surprised at how soft things were on Friday afternoon,' Scheffler said. 'But the weather also changes and it was a bit windy on Thursday, so who knows. That’s part of the game.'
