Rory McIlroy has explained that weeks of preparation at Augusta National, which he described as his “home course,” played a substantial role in his successful Masters defence.
The Northern Irishman said the work came after advice from Jack Nicklaus and helped him arrive ready for the tournament. Instead of playing in PGA Tour events in the build-up to the Masters, McIlroy spent considerable time at Augusta in the lead-up to the event.
That decision came despite a back injury that had caused some disruption to his competitive schedule. Even so, he made the course the focus of his preparation and treated it as a place where he could build a strong game plan for the major.
On one occasion, it is understood that McIlroy played the front nine in 29 while using a single ball. The detail underlines how much work he put into the venue before the Masters began.
McIlroy said the approach gave him a “good blueprint,” with Nicklaus’s guidance helping shape the strategy he used at Augusta National. The preparation, and the familiarity it built, proved significant as he went on to defend the title successfully.
The build-up also came amid testing conditions during the tournament itself. Scottie Scheffler was “surprised” by the conditions on Friday, according to the source report, adding further context to the challenge McIlroy faced in defending his Masters crown.
McIlroy’s choice to stay away from other events and focus on Augusta reflected a clear and deliberate plan. In his view, that extra time on the course, combined with advice from one of golf’s great champions, gave him the best possible platform for another Masters victory.
