Image source: Alamy Stock Photo
2026 Masters Tournament
PGA Tour
Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta, Georgia
9-12 April 2026
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy will attempt to become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2002 to defend his title at the
Masters from 9-12 April.
The Ulsterman won the fifth major of his career when he carded an 11-under 277 to beat Justin Rose in a playoff at Augusta last year.
McIlroy completed a career Grand Slam in the process, joining an illustrious list of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Woods to accomplish this feat.
The 36-year-old went on to win the Irish Open later that year and helped Europe defeat USA at the 2025 Ryder Cup for their second consecutive victory.
McIlroy has yet to taste success on either the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour this year, although he has achieved two top-10 finishes, a T3 at the Dubai Invitational and a T2 at the Genesis Invitational.
The two-time PGA Championship winner withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational and didn't have a great performance at the Players Championship following rounds of 74, 71, 72 and 71 to finish T46.
McIlroy insists there is still more he wants to achieve in the game and has stopped viewing his career as a destination and more as a journey.
"There's still a lot that I want to do. You think every time you achieve something or have success that you'll be happy, but then the goalposts move, and they just keep nudging a little bit further and further out of reach," he said.
"I think what I've realised is, if you can just really find enjoyment in the journey, that's the big thing. I felt like the career Grand Slam was my destination, and I got there, and then I realised it wasn't the destination."
Last five Masters winners
2025 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
2024 - Scottie Scheffler (USA)
2022 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
2021 - Scottie Scheffler (USA)
2020 - Hideki Matsuyama (JPN)
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