Rory McIlroy (L) of Northern Ireland is awarded the green jacket by 2024 Masters champion Scottie Scheffler after the final round of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia on April 13, 2025. Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Last year’s Masters Tournament was all about Rory McIlroy finally breaking through, winning a green jacket, and completing the career Grand Slam.
There’s no one in the 2026 field who could notch that achievement, but still, storylines abound for the preeminent tournament in the sport. These are the major talking points heading into the Masters 2026, which begins Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.
An Irish Encore
You could certainly understand if Rory McIlroy is still in his victory lap after last year’s Masters win, as the Irishman has gone winless in 14 PGA Tour starts since slipping on the green jacket. His last two starts consisted of a withdrawal and a 46th-place finish—he’s not exactly in the best of form as he seeks to defend his crown. McIlroy became the 57th person to win the Masters, and just 18 of those have won the tournament multiple times.
Ross Kelly is a sports journalist who has been published by ESPN, CBS and USA Today. He has also done statistical research for Stats Inc. and Synergy Sports Technology. A graduate of LSU, Ross resides in Houston.
