After nearly 15 years of striving to win the Masters and more than a decade aiming to complete the career Grand Slam, Rory McIlroy is eagerly anticipating his return to Augusta National as a tournament winner. He intends to visit the storied course well before the 2026 Masters, embracing the experience differently now that he holds the champion’s title.
Meaningful Trips to Augusta National Scheduled in Advance
Throughout his career, McIlroy has been able to access Augusta National during the club’s seasonal opening in mid-October, yet revisiting as a Masters champion will carry unique significance. The golfer has already arranged several visits with friends and members of the club ahead of the next tournament.
“I’ve already planned a couple of trips with some friends or some members beforehand,”
McIlroy shared at East Lake Golf Club before the Tour Championship.
“It’ll probably be a little emotional. I definitely have planned one trip that my dad [Gerry] is going to come on as well, and my dad wasn’t there when I won, so I think that’ll be a cool moment to be with him.”
He continued,
“It’ll be emotional. Like I still get a little emotional thinking about it. But it’ll be really cool. To go there, I have a lot of members there that have become good friends over the years, and to be able to enjoy that with them and play the golf course again and sort of reminisce over the good and the bad that happened over the course of the week, yeah, that’ll be really cool.”
Appreciating Augusta National Beyond Tournament Week
McIlroy emphasized that some of his best experiences at Augusta National occurred outside of Masters week, highlighting the course’s natural beauty and tranquil environment.
“It’s a beautiful place to play golf,”
he said.
“If you stop to actually look around and look at the plants and look at the trees and hear the birds, it’s a beautiful place to spend your day and to spend your night and go down to the wine cellar and pick a bottle of wine. It’s one of the coolest experiences you can have in golf.”
He also shared a personal sentiment about finally becoming part of the club’s champion tradition:
“I’ve always said some of my favorite times at Augusta were when it wasn’t the Masters Tournament, but it’ll be lovely to next time go there and go up to the champions locker room and put on my green jacket and feel like I belong.”
McIlroy’s Connection to Masters Memorabilia
Ever a popular figure at Augusta, McIlroy revealed the extent of his engagement with Masters memorabilia, particularly the iconic pin flags. He noted how he has signed far more than he can count, with his team even purchasing the remaining stock from the merchandise facility for autograph purposes.
“I do know that they had 1,100 extra—like 1,100 left in the merchandise facility at the end of the week, and we took all 1,100,”
McIlroy explained.
“But it’s been a lot. But I’ll never get sick of signing them. I’ve waited 17 years to sign that flag in the middle, and I will never complain about doing it.”
Anticipation for New Chapters at Augusta National
With a Masters victory now achieved, McIlroy’s plans to revisit Augusta National ahead of the 2026 tournament reflect both a personal milestone and a new phase in his legacy. His visits will offer an opportunity to celebrate with close friends and family, rekindle relationships forged over years, and savor the serene beauty of one of golf’s most revered venues.
These emotional and reflective trips signal a meaningful connection between the champion and Augusta National that goes beyond competition, illustrating how winning the Masters transforms not only a career but also the experience of returning to this hallowed ground.