Masters 2026: The scariest moment in Rory McIlroy's win and 4 other revelations from his press conference

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy press conferences are among the best in the sporting world because he’s an introspective athlete who listens, truly thinks about his answers before giving them, and when he wins, the joy and satisfaction are palpable. So it was yet another fascinating meeting the media on Sunday when the 36-year-old Ulsterman earned himself a second straight opportunity to chat about his victory in the Masters.

Last year’s victory came with heavy waves of emotion as McIlroy beat down his Masters demons, winning for the first time at Augusta National while completing the career Grand Slam. That one came in a tense playoff with Justin Rose, and McIlroy still didn’t get his champions’ celebration walk up to the 18th green this year because his wild drive right nearly into the 10th fairway made it a nail-biter to the end. He did, however, give himself a one-inch putt for a one-shot victory, and when he appeared in the media center after his Butler Cabin and outdoor ceremonies, a relieved and engaging McIlroy was as candid as ever about his struggles and triumphs in the week.

Last year, his very first line in his press conference was a quip: “What are we going to talk about next year? ” This time, he opened with, “I thought it was so difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and the Grand Slam, and then this year I realized it's just really difficult to win the Masters. I tried to convince myself it was both.

” As such, here are some of the best insights McIlroy offered in the wake of his victory. Who’s greater, McIlroy or Faldo? McIlroy becomes the 16th player to win at least six majors, joining Americans Lee Trevino and Phil Mickelson at that number, while matching Nick Faldo as the top European.