Rory McIlroy insists he is more motivated than ever to build on his “different” title defense at the Masters ahead of his return to PGA Tour action for the first time since winning a major.
McIlroy became the fourth player in history to win back-to-back Masters titles, joining Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods, with his one-shot victory over Scotty Scheffler at Augusta National last month.
McIlroy, ranked No. 2 in the world, recovered from losing a six-shot lead to close out his sixth major title. A year after completing a career Grand Slam with a dramatic playoff win over Justin Rose, McIlroy took three weeks off after winning the green jacket again.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights from the final round of the Masters as Rory McIlroy successfully defended his title at Augusta National
McIlroy begins a busy event this week at the Twist Championship. It is a national tournament he has won four times and the Northern Irishman is delighted to have ended an 11-year drought with two wins in as many seasons.
“(Returning to the game) feels very different (from last year),” McIlroy said at a pre-tournament press conference ahead of the Truist Championship, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf from Thursday. “Even when I won (the Masters), it felt different.
“I’ve talked about this a lot, but I felt like winning a Grand Slam would be life-changing, and in some ways it was, but in other ways I had to remind myself, ‘No, I still have a lot of career left and I want to keep playing and keep competing.’
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Rory McIlroy, who successfully defended his Masters title, looks back on his victory and talks about the ‘possibility’ of further success.
“I think this year’s win validates all the hard work we’ve put in over the past few years to get back to this place where we’re winning majors. I’m looking forward to the road ahead.”
“I’m excited about this week, and I’m excited about Aronimink (PGA Championship), Shinnecock (U.S. Open) and Birkdale (British Open) next week. If anything, I feel like I’m more motivated than ever after what happened at Augusta this year.”
Sky Sports will remain the home of the Major, with every match being streamed live exclusively on Sky Sports Golf
McIlroy suffered a decline after winning the 2025 Masters, missing the next two majors and only had one top-10 finish in his next five Worldwide starts, but he hasn’t struggled much in the weeks following last month’s win.
“(The celebration) was great. It probably wasn’t as busy as last year,” McIlroy admitted. “I think this win felt a little different than the first win at Augusta.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Sky Sports Golf Podcast discusses whether Rory McIlroy is the greatest European golfer of all time following another win at the Masters
“I really enjoyed spending time at home. I did a few things, but I didn’t do a media trip to New York, which was nice. My parents were in America, so I didn’t have to fly home to see them. It was nice to have a little bit of downtime and relax.”
“We did some fun things. Erica (his wife) and I went on a trip to New York, which was great. Then we did the state dinner at the White House last Tuesday night, which was a great night. So we did some fun things.”
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
US President Donald Trump interrupted his speech at a White House dinner, asked Rory McIlroy to stand, then praised the Masters winner.
“I thought I needed to have a lot of fun for 10 days, then get back to the practice field and start practicing and prepare for this period ahead.”
McIlroy is the pre-tournament favorite to win a record-extending fifth time at Quail Hollow Club, following his landmark PGA Tour title at the club in 2010 with wins in 2015, 2021 and 2024.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights from the final round of the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, where Rory McIlroy won for the fourth time
“I think this tournament advanced my career, especially my career on the PGA Tour,” McIlroy said of his 2010 win. “Since then, we’ve had three other wins and it’s been a very productive place.
“I’ve gotten to know a lot of people really well here. It’s been 16 years since I’ve been here. It’s been a really fun place and I’ve had some success. It’s a place I always love to come back to.”
He later added, “I had some of the best days of my career on this golf course.”
Who will win the Tourist Championship? Watch live all week long on Sky Sports. Early coverage begins on Thursday at 12.45pm on Sky Sports+, followed by full coverage from 7pm on Sky Sports Golf.
