Rory McIlroy responded in only way he can after | Golf News

Rory McIlroy not only conquered his own mental battles to declare the Masters title last 12 months, but also navigated the presence of his former girlfriend.

Golf followers have been fast to decide up on what appeared to be a delicate swipe at McIlroy from ex-flame Caroline Wozniacki during what proved to be a rocky start at the 2025 Masters.

McIlroy endured a rollercoaster week at Augusta. He suffered a late setback on Day 1 before staging an spectacular recovery on Friday. Among those in attendance on the second day was tennis star Wozniacki, who has a historical past with McIlroy following a three-year romance that started in 2011.

The golfer proposed to the previous World No. 1 tennis participant in December 2013, but called off their engagement over the cellphone just days after marriage ceremony invites had been despatched out. Around 11 years after her relationship with McIlroy got here to an abrupt end, Wozniacki spoke with ESPN at Augusta National about her Masters expertise, following McIlroy’s troublesome Day 1 efficiency.

“As an athlete, I think there’s some places that are so iconic that are on the bucket list, and this and Wimbledon are so special,” she commented on Friday. “There’s so much tradition here. When you arrive at the premises, there’s just something about not having your phone, really being in the moment. You see everything. It’s just so beautiful, and to be able to be here with my husband and enjoying it, just the two of us, no kids, no distractions, it’s really, really nice.”

Reflecting on the extreme stress athletes face at one of golf’s most prestigious tournaments, Wozniacki revealed she finds it fascinating to watch elite golfers navigate adversity — a sentiment that completely encapsulated McIlroy’s scenario at that second.

“There’s so much pressure here, it’s the small margins. These greens are so difficult, so if you don’t hit it at the perfect spot, you go from being in a position for maybe going for a birdie to being lucky getting a bogey,” she added. “Watching someone who is so good at their craft I think has always been very inspiring, whether it’s tennis, golf, at work, whatever it is. As a spectator, it’s always fun to see when the best in the world are struggling, and that’s what you get here.”

On social media, hypothesis mounted that Wozniacki’s remarks have been directed at McIlroy, who completed Thursday at an even par 72 and selected not to converse with the press following his opening-round struggles.

“Caroline Wozniacki broke Rory,” one X person wrote, with another including: “@espn y’all are messy for interviewing Caroline Wozniacki while Rory is struggling.”

A 3rd person chimed in: “Rory birdies his last two holes at the same time ESPN is doing him dirty.”

Fortunately for McIlroy, he climbed up the leaderboard with an excellent second spherical, posting a flawless 66. He delivered back-to-back birdies on the tenth and eleventh holes before recording an eagle and birdie on Nos. 13 and 15, respectively.

As for Wozniacki, she disclosed that McIlroy is just not among the golfers she’s rooting for at this 12 months’s Masters. “David and I, my husband, we always pick a winner before the tournament starts,” she said. “We pick one that we think has a big chance of winning, and that was [Ludvig] Aberg.”

McIlroy, of course, went on to win the 2025 Masters to full the profession Grand Slam.