Rory McIlroy Annoyed Fans With His Cocky Line About Augusta National After His Win. But He Was Right.

Rory McIlroy is the Masters champion for the second year in a row as he edged Scottie Scheffler by one shot to become just the fourth player in history to win the green jacket in back-to-back years.

Following his victory, McIlroy joked about how Augusta National has come to feel like it’s his “home course” because he has played it so often lately. Earlier in the week he shared details of his practice schedule leading up to this year’s tournament that made every amateur golfer in the world jealous: McIlroy would drop his daughter off at school, fly up to Augusta for a quick 18 and then fly back home in time for a family dinner.

That’s not a bad way to live if you can swing it. But that ruffled some fans’ feathers who thought all that preparation at the iconic course gave McIlroy some sort of an advantage over everyone else going into this year’s tournament.

That simply is not the case because every golfer who qualifies for the Masters is allowed to play the course as much as they want before the tournament. Some take a few trips, some, like McIlroy, take more. Wouldn’t you if you were the defending champion with a private jet and nothing but free time to get ready for the biggest tournament of the year?

Let’s get dive a little deeper into this discussion that has been running rampant on social media ever since McIlroy talked after his win.

McIlroy’s post-victory comment that annoyed a lot of fans

McIlroy was very honest and open after his win about the time he put in to his preparation leading up to this year’s Masters.

"I joked last week and going into this week that this place feels like my home course. I haven't played anywhere else in the last two or three weeks really. I felt prepared in that way. I felt prepared that wherever I hit it on the golf course, I sort of know what to do. I know where to miss. I'm pretty comfortable with all the shots around the greens.”

Rory McIlroy talked all week about how many times he came to Augusta National to prepare in recent weeks. I asked whether this was the most prepared he felt in a major.

"I joked last week and going into this week that this place feels like my home course. I haven't played… pic.twitter.com/HLsWNEkPtF
— Cameron Jourdan (@Cam_Jourdan) April 13, 2026

He added that he got some advice from the great Jack Nicklaus on how to best prepare for the Masters and that advice was to play the course a lot beforehand.

"I've talked to Jack Nicklaus over the years about how he prepared for majors, and he would go the week before, and he would simulate a tournament,” McIlroy said. “He'd play one ball for four days, shoot scores. So then when he got to the tournament, it was sort of—it felt second nature to him.”

Again, McIlroy did nothing wrong by putting in all those hours in the days and weeks leading up to the Masters. He has the means to fly up to Augusta from his home in South Florida and he wanted to leave no stone unturned before showing up to defend his title. That’s a pro acting like a pro.

A former PGA Tour player explained why Rory McIlroy did nothing wrong by taking all those trips

Kevin Kisner has played in the Masters eight times. On Sunday night he spoke about McIlroy’s preparation and the process of getting in practice rounds leading up to the tournament.

“As soon as you get your invitation you’re a welcomed guest,” Kisner said on Barstool Sports’ Fore Play podcast. “Obviously you just have to call and set it up with the pro shop. I’ve heard that they’ve told you how many times you can come. Like if someone’s coming every week or every day they’d be like, ‘O.K. bud, like you’ve been here 15 times, that’s enough.’ I can guarantee they’re not going to tell a defending champion like, ‘hey you can’t bring your G650 [private jet] up here on Tuesday morning and leave Tuesday afternoon. I don’t think it really matters.

“And when Rory’s mentioning that I don’t think he means he’s been up there 20 times in the last three weeks, I think he means ‘I’ve been up there four times leading up [to it].’ One of the days I played over there [before the tournament] and he was there. He literally just played 18 holes and had lunch. He did do exactly what he said.”

“I thought it was the dumbest argument I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Kiz weighs in on the Rory practice round debate and gives a behind-the-scenes look at course access leading up to majors.

Presented by @Chevrolet pic.twitter.com/4lKURW1MtY
— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) April 13, 2026

Kisner then ripped anyone who has a problem with McIlroy’s trips to Augusta.

“Who cares how many times he went?,” Kisner said. “Everyone else can go just as much as they want, they just can not beat them. I don’t think it matters at all. I think it’s the dumbest argument I’ve ever seen in my life. People just don’t understand. I probably played like 10 times a year (at Augusta) leading up to the Masters.”

Why Rory McIlroy did nothing wrong leading up to the Masters

While people online bicker about McIlroy’s pre-tournament trips to Augusta, Kisner laid out what the players actually do and how they feel, since they are the ones with the experience of actually getting in practice rounds at Augusta before the Masters.

McIlroy had every right to get himself ready to defend his title and he did just that on Sunday.

Now, it would be funny if he went back up there again this week to play another quick 18 holes but that’s probably not going to happen. He has a lot of celebrating to do, after all.

More Masters from Sports Illustrated

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