McIlroy's Repeat Masters Victory Takes His Status To A New Level

Scottie Scheffler (Titleist Pro V1) is the number one ranked golfer in the world, but the sport revolves around Rory McIlroy (TaylorMade TP5). By virtue of defending his Masters championship, McIlroy provided the latest example of that. After breaking the drought last year, he repeated it last week. It might not have been as dramatic – he didn’t fall to his knees and shake – but it was historic.

So, The Masters is finally here. Does it get any better? I’ve never been to Augusta National and it’s something I hope to do at some point. I covered horse racing as a journalist for 10 years and regularly attended the Kentucky Derby. I can honestly say that it never got dull. Seeing Churchill Downs and the Twin Spires gave me a true understanding of a true sports landmark. I’m sure it’s the same with Augusta National. I can only imagine what the course looks like. I’m told the wonderful scenes you see on TV do not really do it justice, and that in person, the undulations of the lush greens, the azaleas in full bloom, Amen Corner and the various bridges named after immortals of the game are collective works of art.

Perspective is a sobering thing when it comes to health. Gary Woodland (Titleist Pro V1) made us all appreciate that we are nothing without our health, while also proving that will is sometimes more powerful than the mind in terms of everyday living. In going public recently with The Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard about his battle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Woodland allowed us a peek into his private world since his brain surgery in September 2023.

The golf gods giveth and taketh. How else can you explain the last two PGA tournaments. Matt Fitzpatrick (Titleist Pro V1x) wins the Valspar Championship by one stroke after losing the Players Championship seven days before by one stroke. Fitzpatrick was gracious in defeat, so perhaps he was rewarded for his good sportsmanship.

Before I talk about the thrilling finale of the 2026 Players Championship, I wanted to highlight Sudarshan Yellamaraju (Titleist Pro V1). Yellamaraju is a landed Canadian immigrant – I’m a Canadian by birth – and his hometown is Mississauga, which is where I am based, in the west end of Toronto. Up until last week, Yellamaraju was known only to the Canadian golf community, and even then, it was probably a limited audience. That will no longer be the case. His cover, so to speak, has been blown after he finished tied with Ludwig Aberg (Titleist Pro V1x) and Jacob Bridgeman (TaylorMade TP5X) for fifth.

What’s wrong with Scottie Scheffler (Titleist Pro V1)? It’s become increasingly obvious that the world’s number one men’s player is clearly frustrated. He’s been showing visible signs of it for several weeks, but the most glaring example occurred after he bogeyed a makeable putt on his final shot of the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. After picking up his ball he threw it into the water. There was a noticeable murmur among the crowd, almost teetering on booing.

Should equipment changes be noted publicly before a player tees it up in a PGA Tour event? While that may sound crazy, it is common practice in horse racing. Some bettors want all the information they can get. With gambling now a big part of sports, I don’t think it’s a crazy idea. Already this year we saw Collin Morikawa (TaylorMade TP5x) winning an event with a putter borrowed from another player. Chris Gotterup (Bridgestone Tour B X with Mindset) won two tournaments this year after changing ball. And remember when Scottie Scheffler (Titleist Pro V1) went on a tear changing to a blade putter to a mallet putter?

I’ve written this before and I’m repeating it because it never ceases to amaze me how televised sports is the ultimate reality show, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, as the now-defunct ABC Wild Word of Sports used as its intro. On the final hole of the Pebble Beach Open, Jacob Bridgeman (TaylorMade TP5x) was hitting a shot off of pebbles on the beach on the 18th hole. His ball ended up in the ocean and resulted in a bogey, tying him for eighth place when he was close enough starting the hole for a much better finish. I thought his spirits were crushed and dismissed him for the Genesis Invitational. So what does he do? Goes on a tear and headed into the final day, chasing a tournament record score. But he nearly frittered away the win, coming undone on the back half of the back nine and eking out a single stroke victory, and only because he parred a four-foot putt that must have seemed much longer because of the pressure. That’s drama, real drama, not manufactured reality. He won the event for the first time in his 66th tournament on the PGA Tour and only 65 days after marrying.

Some thoughts on the world of golf with the Masters less than eight weeks away: When Tiger Woods (Bridgestone Tour B XS) speaks, we all listen. As the host of the Genesis Invitational this week, Woods held his annual address about his health, career, playing in the Masters and the PGA Tour at large. Woods is gradually returning to swinging his clubs from his latest back surgery last fall, which naturally had reporters asking him about his playing status. He did not specify when he will return to playing again, yet he tersely and emphatically did not rule out playing in the Masters. “No,” he said. Woods has always tried to play in the Masters, no matter his physical condition.