New Masters video shares a fascinating glimpse into the mind of Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy's final round of the 2025 Masters was a masterpiece of the highest order—a combination of high-stakes decision making, elite-level execution and overwhelming nervous tension. It was due an in-depth look back from the man himself, and in the days before the 2026 contest he gave us exactly that. The full video is on The Masters official YouTube channel and is worth watching in its entirety.

McIlroy's detailed accounting of the day ranges from insight into his mindset and emotions, and how he navigated Augusta National from a more tactical perspective. It was the latter that I found particularly fascinating, especially as it pertained to some of his most crucial shots that day. His recoveries on the seventh and 15th holes speak for themselves and will live on in Masters history.

Perhaps the most interesting, though, were the shots that went overlooked at the time. Many of those seemed to gravitate towards similar themes that wove Rory's round together. And it was how he learned from each that ultimately proved he was ready to slip on the green jacket at the end of it.

Tee Shot Decision on No. 3 McIlroy credited his second shot—a pitch shot—into Augusta National's third hole as his best of the day, so let's start there. As we discussed in our latest edition of Golf Digest's The Game Plan video series , the leftmost hole location on this masterful short par 4 poses a genuine strategic divide among players.