Rory McIlroy has ‘freeing feeling’ going into his Masters defence

Rory McIlroy expects to feel “free” when he returns to Augusta for the defence of his Masters title and is putting no pressure on himself to win the green jacket again.

The Northern Irishman ended an 11-year wait to become one of only six players to complete the career Grand Slam with his play-off victory over Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose last April.

Only three people – Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods – have won the Masters back-to-back and there are just 18 multiple winners in the event’s 91-year history, with Scottie Scheffler the last man to join that club in 2024.

Since Phil Mickelson won his third green jacket in 2010 there have been only three champions who are multiple winners: Bubba Watson (2014), Woods (2019) and Scheffler, which is why McIlroy is relaxed about his defence.

“This is going to be the first time I drive down Magnolia Lane and it’s all going to be about enjoying my week, enjoying the perks that come along with being a Masters champion,” said the 36-year-old.

“The thing is I know I get to go back to the Masters tournament for the rest of my life and that’s quite a freeing feeling.

“I honestly think that I’ve done it once and it’s not as if I have to win it again to win the Grand Slam.

“I think it was sort of two things won; I obviously wanted to win the Masters so badly but then obviously at the same time knowing what the Masters would give me and the people that it would put me alongside.

“So I think now going to win the Masters just to win the Masters is a nice thing but I think that I’ve won it once and I feel like that will make it a bit easier for me to win again.”

McIlroy started last year’s final round with a two-shot advantage only to immediately lose it after a double bogey, but was three clear as he walked down the par-five 13th fairway.

As a result he tried to play conservatively to protect that lead and promptly dumped a 90-yard pitch into Rae’s Creek for another double bogey, immediately followed by another dropped shot which prompted his memorably brilliant approach to almost eagle the par-five 15th in a less-than-straightforward finish.

McIlroy said the lesson he had learned was to play his natural game.

“When I look back at the round when I played aggressively I was rewarded and I played well and then the first time that my mindset or my tactics went a little bit defensive, like trying to protect the lead, that’s when I got into trouble,” he added.

“Obviously (that’s) what happened on 13 and on 14 and when I got to 15 again I needed to be aggressive. I needed to make a birdie again and I was able to do it.

“So there’s probably a lesson in there somewhere of not taking your foot off the gas. I thought I was sort of doing the smart thing by playing 13 as a three-shotter and trying to protect the lead that I built.

“But in hindsight, everything that went well for me that day and that week was when I played aggressively, when I went for my shots.”

As defending champion McIlroy chooses the menu for the champions dinner and, having included elk sliders and a date and goat’s cheese appetiser inspired by his mum Rosie, he has opted for Wagyu filet mignon or a fillet of seared salmon and an Irish champ (mashed potatoes with spring onions).