It took over a decade for Rory McIlroy to conquer his Masters demons at Augusta National.
After years of heartbreak on the hallowed turf, McIlroy finally completed the Career Grand Slam in 2025 to etch his name into the annals of golfing lore. This was a golf course that had haunted him, but now it was the site of his crowning achievement.
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On paper, Augusta should be perfectly suited to McIlroy’s game. As one of the best drivers of the ball in golf and an incredible long-iron player, his challenges on the golf course were mental, not physical.
And to win this mental battle with the most iconic golf course in the sport, the Northern Irishman leaned on advice given to him by Phil Mickelson, who had won the event three times before him.
Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Phil Mickelson told Rory McIlroy what he didn’t understand about Augusta National
McIlroy looked like he was trying to survive Augusta National. He respected the golf course so much after what it had done to him in the past that it paralysed him at times.
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Even when leading down the stretch on Sunday, the course contorted in McIlroy’s mind, forcing him into inexplicable errors as he tried to play defence. But Mickelson once told McIlroy that the key to winning at Augusta is to grab the course by the scruff of its neck.
McIlroy told Golf Digest Australia: “I played a practice round with Phil Mickelson, maybe I don’t know 10 or 15 years ago, probably closer to 15 years ago, and I always remember he said to me, ‘Rory, one of the reasons I love Augusta National is because I feel I can be so aggressive here.’
“I remember thinking, ‘What does he mean?’ I feel the opposite. I feel I can’t be aggressive here because there’s so many bad places to miss. But Phil had so much – still has probably so much – faith in his short game that if he does miss an approach shot by being aggressive, he still feels he can get that ball up and down.
“I think 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.
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“I think that’s been a big part of the reason why I’ve well now that I’ve eventually won there but why my play has gotten better there over the years.”
Only by using Mickelson’s advice could McIlroy slay the demons he created 14 years prior.
2011 stopped Rory McIlroy from winning The Masters for 14 years
In 2011, McIlroy entered the final day of The Masters with a four-shot lead. He finished the day 10 shots back.
A wayward drive on the 10th hole sent him into a spiral, and he collapsed down the stretch to throw away the win. McIlroy was devastated by the defeat, and the memories lingered for years.
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From that moment, McIlroy feared Augusta. He knew how quickly the course could swallow you up if you didn’t give it its due respect.
And that’s what prevented him from tackling the course as Mickelson did. A young McIlroy with no scar tissue tried, and look how that ended.
You can’t win The Masters by trying not to lose. McIlroy found that out on the back nine on Sunday. The moment he tried to play defensively, he found the water. That forced him to play with aggression again, and that’s where McIlroy refound his form.
That’s a great sign moving forward for McIlroy. Not only has he learned how to play the course, but he no longer has the weight on his shoulders. He can swing freely around Augusta and enjoy playing the course for the first time in years.
This year, expect to see an aggressive McIlroy taking Augusta by the horns.
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