Rory McIlroy’s Masters quest could use a hand from his daughter
Perhaps Rory McIlroy should take a leaf out of his daughter’s book to end his Masters pain.
Four-year-old Poppy McIlroy quickly stole the show from her famous father at a pre-tournament, par-three competition at Augusta National on Wednesday (Thursday AEST), and it wasn’t because of her adorable white boiler suit and matching bow.
With the 35-year-old World No. 2 – who is one of 12 golfers just one major championship win shy of a career Grand Slam – and Shane Lowry watching on, the younger McIlroy successfully negotiated 30 feet (around nine metres) of green to sink a monumental downhill putt.
In footage shared to the official Masters’ social media accounts, Rory McIlroy and Lowry are seen helping her line up the ball, with Poppy McIlroy barely having to give it a tap before it starts its slow descent towards the ninth hole.
Less than 20 seconds later – though it feels like an age before the ball straightens – a crouching McIlroy leaps up into the air as Lowry, cheering, turns to congratulate Poppy McIlroy. She’d done it.
Nonplussed, even as Lowry’s daughter lifts her up, she eventually finds her way into her father’s arms for a big cuddle.
Rory McIlroy, who is set to play at the Masters on Thursday (Friday AEST) for the 17th time in his career, is aiming to become the sixth male golf player to achieve a career Grand Slam.
He has made seven top-10 finishes at the Atlanta, Georgia-based competition in the last 10 years but has yet to win another major since his Valhalla triumph.
The former World No. 1 first played the Masters when he was aged 19, and since then, he’s clinched 28 PGA Tour, 18 DP World Tour and four major championship victories.
Despite seven European Ryder Cup appearances, four Race to Dubai titles and three FedEx Cup titles, he’s yet to see a Masters victory.
It’s fair to say the pressure is on, but Rory McIlroy dismissed it earlier this week as “just narratives” and “noise”.
“It’s just trying to block out that noise as much as possible. I need to treat this tournament like all the other tournaments that I play throughout the year,” he said at Augusta National on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
“But once we get into the tournament week like now, you try to treat it the same, and you just try to go through – basically check the boxes. I want to do certain things and I want to do my drills on the putting green and make sure I get my range sessions in just so that I’ve checked the boxes and feel as comfortable as I can going out there on Thursday morning.”
He shares Poppy McIlroy with his 37-year-old wife Erica Stoll. The couple married in 2017, with Rory McIlroy filing for divorce in May 2024. He withdrew the divorce filing one month later.
Sports news, results and expert commentary: Sign up for our Sport newsletter.