Unpacking Rory McIlroy’s historic Masters win: Tour Confidential

Sign up every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in sports and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Rory McIlroy’s Masters performance, Sunday’s highlights at Augusta National and more.

Rory McIlroy won the Masters to become just the fourth repeat winner in tournament history. McIlroy closed with a 71 to finish 12 under and beat Scottie Scheffler by one. All this, mind you, after he woke up in six after 36 holes but lost it all on Saturday night. How did this happen? What is your take on his victory?

Zephyr Melton, Associate Game Improvement Editor (@zephyrmelton): Man, that was heavy. Rory obviously didn’t have his best stuff over the weekend – and he said as much during his Butler Cabin interview – but he played well enough over the weekend to get another green jacket. There’s something incredibly impressive about watching someone win without their best stuff, and Rory did just that this weekend.

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): Pardon the modern jargon, but this Masters felt like a movie, with an opening act, some middle contextualization, some conflict, and then some late drama. Damn – it was insanely fun! But I think the takeaway from McIlroy is that he’s such a different golfer than he used to be. He has become the best player in the world in hard and fast conditions. it MUST have won the ’22 Open at St. Andrews finicky. He wasn’t doing that early in his career, but late-career Rory is just different. More imaginative, less dependent on conditions and draw shots, etc. It’s impressive and makes you question the most about his chances at Shinnecock.

Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@jess_marksbury): With the tournament hanging in the balance on the back nine on Sunday, Rory hit some incredible shots at just the right time. I’m thinking of the birdies on 12 and 13 in particular, and the amazing putt from the mouth of the green that led to 16. But he was also the beneficiary of opponents not pushing him too hard on the green. This could easily have been Justin Rose’s Masters, but he faded on the back nine, as did Sam Burns and Cameron Young. Scottie Scheffler tried hard, but his late momentum games at 15 and 16, and missed opportunity at 17, ended up being too little, too late.

What was the highlight of Sunday? And what did you learn from it?

Melts: I think it came earlier than viewers might have thought at this point. After a silly double on No. 4 and another shaky bogey on No. 6, the tournament seemed to be slipping out of Rory’s grasp. But on No. 7, he calmly found the fairway, hit the right putt just over the flagstick and then rolled in a birdie putt to stop the bleeding. From then on, he was a nail. When you’re a shooter like Rory, sometimes all you need is to see a shot go through the ring.

Zack: I think it was Justin Rose putting his putt down the middle of the 11th fairway. Rose was in the lead at 12 under. If he participates, he is in a playoff. But Rosey pulled the putt and blasted his final approach wide, leading to bogey. He bogeyed the 12th hole. Those three decided on nomination 13. If that goes differently, everything changes. The man who could have really put the pressure on McIlroy faded and the better player won.

Marksbury: Totally agree with you, Sean. Justin Rose went from commanding to lackluster through three holes. Bogey-bogey-three-putt-par trifecta on 11, 12 and 13 sunk it. And, as the only player alive at the time in the tournament, his exit changed everything.

Don’t look now, but McIlroy suddenly has six major titles and two green jackets. Is it the man to beat over the next decade at Augusta National Rory McIlroy, or is it two-time Masters winner Scottie Scheffler? And who did you get the rest of the year?

Melts: I’m still on team Scottie. He was the best golfer on the course over the weekend – by a wide margin – as he didn’t card a bogey in rounds 3 or 4. And he did all of this seemingly without having his best stuff with the putter. Whatever “funk” Scottie was in early in the season appears to be behind him and he should be the favorite for years to come at Augusta National. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Rory gets another green jacket before he decides to hang it up. He seems to have cracked the code on how to win there.

Zack: Yes, I’m with Zephyr and Team Scheffler. I’m expecting him to have some real luck going his way like McIlroy has in the last two Masters. That doesn’t take anything away from McIlroy’s brilliance – he’s so deserving. But I just think Scheffler has brought his B-plus game to the last two Masters and maybe he’s on the verge of another special summer.

Marksbury: I don’t know guys, I find Rory’s Augusta stats extremely compelling. Scottie has five straight top-10 finishes since 2022, including two wins. But Rory has nine top-10 finishes since 2014, including the last two wins. Recent bias shows Rory for me. But choosing Rory apparently also means signing up for a rollercoaster ride that Scottie rarely takes.

McIlroy withdrew late, but a handful of capable followers—Scheffler, Rose, Young, Burns, et al. – were still in it along the way. Which player is kicking himself more than what might have been?

Melts: It has to be Scottie. That Friday 74 was so unlike Scottie and really put him in a state of despair going into the weekend. If he puts together even an even round, it’s him who wears the green jacket this evening, not Rory.

Zack: I don’t agree! I think it’s Rose. it THERE to be Rose. The man without a jacket. The man who was in charge himself! Scheffler never touched the lead all week. He has another 20 Masters in his future. Rosey may not have more than a few.

Marksbury: Rose for sure. it HAD that! He left. Again! No doubt it stings.

The popular Par-3 Masters competition received some criticism for what some felt was too much celebrity involvement and strayed too far from the Masters’ long-standing “traditionalist” values. What do you think? And how does Masters evolve without straying too far from the things that make it unique?

Melts: I could do without the cameos from Kevin Hart and Jason Kelce, but I’m not going to clutch my pearls too much. The par-3 contest is supposed to be fun. As long as that nonsense doesn’t spill over into the actual competition, I’m mostly unconcerned.

Zack: My strongest par-3 take is … I wonder if the players were a little more surprised by the Thursday conditions of the big course because they’ve become so comfortable leaving their Wednesdays on the par-3 course. There was such universal surprise at the course conditions that I don’t think we’ll see in the other runs with this Wednesday’s layoff. However, I don’t completely hate the ANGC strategy. It’s not for me, but I’m as passionate about golf as anyone in the world. There is a natural following of all governing bodies in all sports, as the children say, random ones. I think they—or maybe more ESPN—reached some of that audience.

Marksbury: The craftsman is revered for his traditions and decorum for a reason. I think most people watch or follow the tour wanting that experience. So while I don’t think the tour needs to evolve in any way, I can understand why there’s a feeling that it’s important to try new things to reach new demographics. And hey, if these efforts create new golf fans, that’s a win for everyone.

Who is leaving Augusta National most disappointed, and who won the week without actually winning the week?

Melts: Justin Rose should be the most disappointed. He’s been so close at Augusta National so many times, and again he just couldn’t do it. The clock on his career is ticking, and you only have so many cracks in the green jacket. When you get to the back nine with a bullet, you have to close the door. He may go down as the biggest what-if of his generation at the Masters.

Zack: I would count Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau feel pretty disappointed. They were two of the most deserving favorites going into the week and never mattered. Honestly, they look more confused than anything right now. It can’t be a good pitch!

As for who won the week without the jacket, I think Collin Morikawa deserves some recognition. He dealt with a bad back all week, made seven birdies on Sunday and earned a top 10 finish. That was extremely impressive. He said it will be one of his best tours ever.

Marksbury: Most Disappointed: Bryson and Jon are good choices, Mr. Justin Rose as well, for the reasons discussed above. I’ll also add Cameron Young, as a leader who faded, and Haotong Li, who suffered a triple-double to completely derail his tournament.

Those who won the week: I’ll add anyone who took hold of a gnomeand players who finished T12 or better to guarantee themselves a spot in next year’s Masters.

What did you learn during the Master’s week?

Melts: I learned (or rather, I was reminded) that I love Haotong Li. What a character.

Zack: I learned that Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed will really add value to the PGA Tour as they return to that life after LIV. Reed is a strange player, we knew that, but he needed to prove those wins from the Middle East in January in a major match, and he did. Koepka is on to something this summer. You can feel it. He will be in the race very soon. This bodes well for the tournament.

Marksbury: Augusta National remains undefeated when it comes to the drama of Sunday’s ninth.

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