Rory McIlroy reveals Phil Mickelsons advice that…
Rory McIlroy had an further edge during last yr’s historic Masters triumph — advice from three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson.
McIlroy, in his pre-Masters press convention Wednesday, said he performed a observe spherical with Mickelson about 15 years in the past. There, he told McIlroy that the Masters is the best place to be aggressive.
McIlroy was confused. He’d tended to take it slow in earlier years with the gravity of the event, main to fixed defeats. He switched his strategy in 2025, and it paid off.
Rory McIlroy had beforehand received the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship before finishing the Grand Slam with his Masters win. Getty Images
“I remember thinking, ‘What does he mean?’” McIlroy said, per Golf.com. “I really feel the alternative. I really feel I can’t be aggressive right here because there’s so many unhealthy locations to miss. But Phil had so a lot — still has, most likely — religion in his short recreation that if he does miss an method shot by being aggressive, he still feels he can get that ball up and down.
“I would say by becoming a better putter and by maybe working on my short game a little bit and becoming better around the greens, that probably allowed me to become more aggressive with my approach play at Augusta,” he added.
Last yr, he said he performed more aggressively on the entrance 9 and constructed a lead.
In the back 9, though, he grew to become more “defensive” attempting to defend the benefit. That led to a double bogey on gap 13 and bogey on gap 14, inflicting him to flip it up on the next holes.
Phil Mickelson in September 2023. Getty Images
“There’s probably a lesson in there somewhere of not taking your foot off the gas,” McIlroy said. “Everything that went well for me that day and that week was when I played aggressively, when I went for my shots. That’s probably the lesson to learn.”
McIlroy edged out Justin Rose with a birdie on the first playoff gap in the ultimate spherical to declare the win at Augusta National last April. It marked his first inexperienced jacket and accomplished his profession Grand Slam.
Rory McIlroy’s back injury could maintain him back from successful back-to-back Masters titles this yr. AP
His 2025 Masters title made him the sixth golfer to seize all 4 fashionable major championships.
Following the victory, he tossed his membership skyward and fell to the ground in an emotional celebration.
In past years, the victory had escaped him a number of occasions. In 2024, he was tied for second after 14 holes but dropped down to twenty seventh after the opening spherical. He ultimately completed twenty second.
McIlroy’s first alternative to defend his title will come in a few weeks when the 2026 Masters commences from April 9-12.
He’s at present ranked second in the world behind Scottie Scheffler, but is nursing a back injury.
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