Rory McIlroy has already warned: he is back to win the Masters again. And everything indicates that he is right! On the first day of the 2026 Masters, at Augusta National, the Northern Irish golfer showed a solid performance that made it clear that the second championship is closer than ever.
The stage is the mythical hole 8, known as Yellow Jasmine, a par 5 of 570 yards that challenges players to take risks with the driver to secure important birdies. As he approached the tee of the 8th, McIlroy was received like a hero, with applause and cheers from the fans and even a spectator who shouted: “Come on, mate! Do it again!” And it seems he just might.
Despite not being perfect with the driver, McIlroy compensated with exemplary iron and putting play, signing a round of 5 under par (67), loaded with “red ink” on the scorecard and without major slips. At the end of the day, he had the best result along with Sam Burns, while the tournament is still ongoing.
This Masters has a special flavour for McIlroy: after securing the much-desired career Grand Slam with last year’s victory, he entered the select group of golf legends who managed to win the most prestigious tournament in the world. Now, if he repeats the feat and wins the title for the second consecutive time, he will make history alongside immortal names like Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods.
But was McIlroy really planning to win the second championship already in 2026? He himself denies an obsession: “Obviously it would be great to win again, but that wasn’t at the centre of my attention when I started the year.” Perhaps this lightness is the key to his success.
The relief of already possessing the coveted green jacket seems to free McIlroy from enormous pressure. In the company of young amateur Mason Howell, just 18 years old, the champion showed a mix of focus and serenity, exchanging laughs and advice, while dealing with the natural tension of an event of this magnitude.
At hole 8, McIlroy made a slight slip by missing the drive, but quickly recovered with an impressive second shot of 3-wood that took the ball directly to the green, securing a birdie that propelled him to the lead. “It was a perfect shot, the kind I want to repeat every day,” he confessed.
Experience spoke louder: with only 27 putts during the round, McIlroy knew how to navigate the difficulties and avoid serious slips, a lesson that young Howell did not forget. “I learned a lot from him today. When he was in trouble, he accepted the situation and made decisive putts,” stated the amateur. It is this type of mental game that defines a leader.
Despite the excellent start, the road to Sunday and the green jacket ceremony is still long and full of challenges. McIlroy, who has led the Masters after the first round in 2011 and 2018, knows that maintaining the level until the end is crucial, as the tournament has seen him crumble in the decisive stages before.
But the confidence is intact. “Winning one Masters makes it much easier to win the second,” stated McIlroy, who seems determined to prove this maxim true. The first day of 2026 makes it clear that the champion is in the fight, ready to write another unforgettable chapter in his career and in the history of the Masters.
Rory McIlroy is, without a doubt, a name to watch closely in this Masters. The spectacle is guaranteed, and the promise of a possible second championship increases the excitement in Augusta. Get ready, because the green might just be worn by McIlroy again!
This article first appears in Apito Final.
