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Monday, April 13, 2026
McIlroy overcame himself
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Rory McIlroy overcame himself, plus a froyo conspiracy
Katie Goodale / Imagn Images
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Good morning! Don’t break a tee box today. Inside:
Nerves: Rory ascends, again
Rory McIlroy has made about $115 million on the PGA Tour since his debut in 2009. He’s won six major championships and is the face of golf, alongside Scottie Scheffler. There aren’t many things we have in common. So why do I find him so relatable?
Maybe it’s the pressure, the anxiety he wears on his face in the biggest moments. The earnest care he exudes while balancing his elite talent and the fragile line of failure. Two years in a row, McIlroy has played a great tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Two years in a row, it seems like he’s tried to blow a lead, over and over.
Two years in a row, though, he’s won the Masters. A few notes:
- Firstly, it is historic. McIlroy became just the fourth golfer to go back-to-back at the tournament and the first since Tiger Woods did it in 2001 and 2002. He is now 12th on the all-time men’s majors list, tied with Phil Mickelson, Nick Faldo and Lee Trevino. He is, as Ian O’Connor wrote, the lion golf needs in a post-Tiger era.
- His final round yesterday started poorly. He was 2 over par through six holes, staring down another choke a year after finally breaking through at Augusta. He steadied, and a furious rally through Amen Corner at 2 under par pushed him back to the lead. Brody Miller camped out at Amen Corner and came away with the story of McIlroy’s turnaround.
- McIlroy, 36, is arguably the greatest European golfer ever after the win. And his rivalry with Scheffler made for great drama yesterday, as the world No. 1 nearly came back from 12 shots back coming into the weekend. It would’ve been the largest major comeback in 106 years. Those two facts come via Justin Ray’s excellent notebook.
One month until the PGA Championship tees off. Let’s keep moving:
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Chris Branch is a senior writer for The Athletic's daily newsletter. Before joining The Athletic, he covered the Phillies for The News-Journal and worked as a content strategist for various industries. He graduated from LSU, where he worked for The Daily Reveille. Follow Chris on Twitter @cbranch89
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