THE MODERATOR: We welcome Masters Champion Rory McIlroy, who will be defending here at Augusta National in a few weeks. How are preparations going?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, prep has went pretty well. You know, had that little back issue the weekend at Bay Hill which threw a spanner in the works, but I seem to have recovered from that pretty quickly.
It was nice to get four rounds last week at THE PLAYERS, even though I didn't get myself into contention or play well enough to get into contention. But yeah, you know, it's been a pretty light start to the season, I would say. You know, starting in the Middle East but then felt like I played well on the West Coast.
You know, would have been nice to get those two extra rounds at Bay Hill but I'm really pleased with how my body responded to that little setback and decide to put some good work in here at home over the next few weeks. Make a few trips up to Augusta National to play, as well, and obviously really excited to get to the week of the tournament and defend. I know defending the Masters Tournament is a pretty rare feat, and you know, it's something that I would love to do.
THE MODERATOR: Before we take questions, it's my understanding you put the finishing touches on the menu for the Champions Dinner.
RORY McILROY: Yeah.
THE MODERATOR: Can you share the details of what you plan to serve?
RORY McILROY: Absolutely. So the typical structure of Masters club dinner is you serve some appetizers with a drinks reception at the start, and then you move into the seated meal. So first course, second course, and then dessert.
So for appetizers, I have done four. Firstly, my Mum does these really, really nice dates stuffed with goat cheese wrapped in bacon so I put those on the appetizers list. So thanks to Rosie for that one.
In the buildup to the Masters last year, I was eating a lot of elk. I got this big shipment of elk, and I was eating a lot of that. And I didn't want elk to be the main course because I didn't know if everyone would like that. So I incorporated that into the appetizers. So I'm doing grilled elk sliders which I think is fun.
And then another nice appetizer that I think everyone likes is rock shrimp tempura, so sort of a crowd pleaser with that one.
And then I wanted to try to bring a little bit of, I guess, the local ingredients in. So I'm doing a Georgia peach and ricotta flatbread with hot honey. So hopefully that will go down well with the drinks.
And then as we move on, the first course, my wife, Erica and I, our favorite restaurant, or one of our favorite right now is in New York. It's called Le Bernardin. Eric Ripert is the chef there, and this is a dish from that restaurant. It's a yellowfin tuna carpaccio. It's a really thin slice of French baguette with a really thin slight of foie gras on top of that and tuna carpaccio. So raw slices of tuna on top of that.
It's a really simple dish, but every time we go to that restaurant, that's the one thing that I have to have. I can sort of change up everything else in my order but that tuna carpaccio is the one that stays. So that's a fun one that the club worked with me on as well. They went up to the restaurant and worked with the chefs, and made sure; that they obviously wanted to get it right for the night, so that's really cool.
Moving on to the main course, again, you know, I want -- you know, this dinner, obviously it's an amazing honor to be able to host it, but at the same time, I want everyone to enjoy it. I went for two different options for the main course, a wagyu filet mignon for people that want red meat, or a fillet of seared salmon; so depending on what you want.
And then for the sides, a lot of different sides. I've gone traditional Irish Champ. When I was a kid used to eat champ by the bowlful. So trying to tie in a little bit of my upbringing there. Some sauteed brussel sprouts. Glazed carrots with brown butter. And then trying to bring a little bit of that local flavor back in, some crispy Vidalia onion rings. Vidalia is not too far away from Augusta, about two a two-hour drive, and a member of a golf course there who had been in that club; a little bit of local ingredients being brought back in.
And then for dessert, I think very much a crowd-pleaser, sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream on warm toffee sauce.
And then my favorite part of the menu is you obviously get access to the wonderful wine cellar at Augusta National.
So for the wines we're starting off with a 2015 Salon Brut champagne.
And then followed by a 20222022 Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet, and it's the first-ever white wine that I actually liked. So to have, you know, to be able to serve that is something that's sort of important to me.
And then for the red wine we're receiving a 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild from Pauillac in Bordeaux. That is the wine that I drank the night that I won the Masters, so obviously brings back some great memories. You know, Shane Lowry had a little bit to do with getting that wine, so I want to shout him out for that, too. But that will be amazing to serve.
To finish off, we're going with a 1989 Chateau D'Yquem dessert wine from Sauternes in Bordeaux, as well. Obviously '89, my birth year, and I think every great meal deserved to be finished off with Chateau D'Yquem. It is like liquid gold.
I wanted to be really intentional with the wines. It's something that I'm really into and passionate about and started to collect wine, probably over the past decade, I would say, at this point.
So you know, to work with the sommeliers at the club and be able to choose these wines was a lot of fun. And obviously can't wait to host the dinner on Tuesday night, and then obviously be a part of that tinker for many, many years to come.
So excited for that.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you. With that, let's field some questions.
Q. Out of all the messages you received after winning, what's the most -- that maybe moved you the most?
RORY McILROY: You know, I think I've always had a great relationship with the club and the members of the club and the employees of the club, and I think I've always felt, you know, the goodwill towards me there.
But I just think the reception that I got after I won, and just how happy everyone was for me, I think just it was a very -- earn followed the journey for a long time, and everyone in some way felt invested in it I think, whether, you know, you're a part of the Masters Tournament or not.
I think for me, I'm obviously here; I'm doing this for myself. I've had these goals since I was a little boy but the fact that other people are invested in that journey of mine obviously makes me incredibly grateful. Just makes me take a step back and appreciate everything that I've done in my career and then, you know, obviously what happened last April, as well.
Yeah, if anything, I think just that victory just made me appreciate all the support that I get everywhere that I play.
Q. I take it that menu wasn't just put together off the top of your head.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I mean, I think it would be pretty presumptuous to have a menu in your head before you actually win the tournament.
But I always thought about: If I win the Masters one day, what would I want it to look like? What would I like to serve? You know, I didn't really want to go with a theme or like, you know -- hopefully this isn't my first time hosting dinner.
I felt this time around, I wanted to do something that I would enjoy but I wanted to do something that all other champions would enjoy, as well.
No, it wasn't put together off the top of my head. I tried to be pretty thoughtful with it. Tried to incorporate some of the things that I like and some, you know, little personal touches along the way. But at the same time, you know, trying to put together a good enough menu that everybody would enjoy, as well.
Q. Can you just talk about your favorite driving hole at Augusta and why, Rory? And also, the one -- the least favorite, and why.
RORY McILROY: Favorite driving hole at Augusta is probably the 18th. I've always liked that tee shot. I've been comfortable with that tee shot over the years. I also hit two great tee shots there on Sunday last year.
I think it frames and it sort of shows you what you need to do. You know, the two bunkers there at the corner of the fairway, obviously the narrow chute you're hitting through. The hole and the shape of the hole dictate what you have to do, and I've always liked that about that hole.
And then, I would say, 7, 14 and 17 have always been the driving holes that have been a little more uncomfortable for me. They are very straightaway. They are basically the opposite of what the 18th hole does for you. You have options about what shots to hit. Those holes going in that direction have always been, I wouldn't say an Achilles' heel but I've always had to just think about those a little more.
Q. The Masters handily has put up a 16-minute video of every shot from your final round last year. Sometimes a shot that an average viewer likes isn't the one that gives the greatest satisfaction to the elite player. The second on the 7th and 15th, they look incredible, is it one of those? What single shot in the thick of the moment gave you the most satisfaction in the final round last year?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I would say -- I've talked about this before. I think the second shot on the third hole was very important after getting off to such a rough start, and making birdie there definitely settled me down.
And then I would say the other shot that was maybe less appreciated was the tee shot at 16 after I missed the putt for the eagle on 15. But I stepped up and made another really good swing with an 8-iron on 16, and that -- I didn't make that putt, either.
But that was a hole that I wouldn't say I was worried about it all day but I was just -- it was always in the back of my mind because it wasn't the traditional Sunday hole location. You know, they put it up on the top right shelf there to commemorate 50 years of Jack Nicklaus holing that putt in 1975.
So I was proud of that shot. The 8-iron -- as much as the 7-iron on 15 gets all of the plaudits that day -- my 8-iron was pretty important. I hit a great 8-iron into the 10th hole. I hit another great 8-iron into 16 and then I hit a great 8-iron into 17, as well. So three great shots with that club, too, that day.
Q. The first time you really bowed your head and showed the angst, it wasn't really the double-bogey on first; it was after the approach to the second, and there were a few more times obviously. Can you think of another round that was close to that level of anxiety for you?
RORY McILROY: I think all final rounds have their levels of anxiety. You know, I think it was my best-ever chance to win the Grand Slam.
As much as I had had chances before, whether it be at The Open in St Andrews in '22, the two U.S. Opens in '23 or '24. Yeah, there was no -- I don't think there was any round of golf that I'd played before that can compare to the feelings and the emotions I went through that Sunday.
Q. Did you get the bill for that dinner yet?
RORY McILROY: Not yet, Doug.
Q. Just checking. Listen, you've made a lot of big putts in your career. I'm wondering, what goes through your head right before you take the club back? And the question I've got is: Was it any different standing over the 5-footer in regulation than it was over the 3-footer in the playoff?
RORY McILROY: The only thing I'll say -- I'll answer the last question first.
The only difference with the 3-footer in the playoff rather than the 5-footer in regulation is I was sure of the line in the playoff. I was a little bit indecisive with my line or my read in regulation. Again, one of the blessings but also the curses of going back to Augusta every year is you remember all of these putts, whether it be your putts or other people's putts that you've seen on the coverage.
I always remember everyone putting from right of that hole location on 18. If they miss it, they miss it high. That was in the back of my head. So I probably give it a little less break than I maybe would have, and I should have went with my first instinct. But I always remember everyone who misses that putt misses high.
But when I have to make an important putt I try to keep it so simple. I really focus on aiming correctly. Like I think half the battle is just making sure you're aiming in the right spot with the putter.
And then I would say the one thought that I have that sort of frees me up is just trying to keep the putter low through impact. If anything, I have a tendency for the putter to rise a little bit through impact. A nice thought for me is to just keep the putter nice and low going through.
Q. I'm sure you heard from fans about how they sort of lived and died with you on that back nine. They went through the emotions, maybe not like you would have, but they certainly were up and down. Curious your state of mind compared to standing under the 13th tee with a lead and then maybe how you felt standing on 15. In short order, things didn't go very well, and I wonder how you handled all of that and just the ups and downs of playing that sequence.
RORY McILROY: I think when I look back at the round, Bob, when I was aggressive and when I played aggressively, I was rewarded and I played well.
You know, when I made double at the first, I played pretty aggressively, hit driver to the front of the green and made birdie. Aggressive with my 5-iron on 4 and made birdie. You know, was -- went at the pin on 9. Made birdie. 10, made birdie. So like I was being rewarded for being aggressive, and then I obviously got the lead.
And then the first time that my mindset or my tactics went a little bit defensive, like trying to protect the lead, that's when I got into trouble. Obviously what happened on 13 and on 14, and when I got to 15 again, I needed to be aggressive. I needed to make a birdie again, and I was able to do it.
So there's probably a lesson in there somewhere of not taking your foot off the gas. I thought I was sort of doing the smart thing by playing 13 as a three-shotter and trying to protect the lead that I built.
But in hindsight, 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.
And I guess my going from 13 tee to then 15 tee, look, I didn't have a choice, right. It wasn't quite now or ever. I still believed I had chances to win the Masters Tournament going forward, but at the same time, I knew I needed to play the last four holes in 2-under par to have a chance to win the tournament. My mindset went back from protecting to chasing or being more aggressive.
Q. Just wondering, I saw the trailer for the documentary that you are putting out shortly here. Wondering why you're taking the approach of telling your story from the Masters in that way.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think it certainly was something I wanted to document. I was probably a little reluctant at the start because I was like, you know, I'm still not finished with my career, and maybe I want to do a documentary at the end.
But I talked to a few people who have been through that process, different athletes, and I think the common theme was, you know, it doesn't have to be a tell-all of your whole life. It can just be a snapshot in time of this certain moment. I think once I got my head around that; that, you know, no, let's just tell the story of the Grand Slam and winning the Masters. Because I think that's a about enough story in itself to tell.
You know, obviously the documentary will get into a few other things, and a bit of my upbringing and everything else in my history and my journey at Augusta National.
But I was getting approached by everyone, by all the streamers. I was being inundated with requests. And I think that the amazing thing is that the first thing that I did and my team did was consult with Augusta National. You know, we worked on this together. This was a collaboration between us and the club. You know, the club gave us amazing access to archival footage and letting us use the property at certain times.
I think once Augusta National was on board and they were a part of it, that made me feel a lot more comfortable that the story was going to be told the right way.
So yeah, again, it's a moment in time. It's a snapshot. It's not about my entire life. It's just about my journey to try to complete the Slam.
Again, I think it would have been a miss to not document it in some way, and we felt like this was the best approach.
Q. Did you consult any of your friends in the culinary world about your menu?
RORY McILROY: No, I didn't, actually. I consulted with the club a little bit. They obviously have an amazing food and beverage program there. No, really it was just from the heart and from personal experience, and I guess a little bit of nostalgia for me of what I wanted to serve.
Q. Your Sunday presser last year was as candid as ever. You know, when you were talking about history and expectation. As you go into a defense, do you feel as free as you predicted, or are there new burdens now?
RORY McILROY: No, this is going to be the first time I drive down Magnolia Lane, and it's all going to be about enjoying my week. You know, enjoying the perks that come along with being a Masters Champion. Having a parking space in the Champions car park to using the Champions locker room. You know, hosting the dinner on the Tuesday night.
Yeah, you know, the thing is, I know I get to go back to the Masters Tournament for the rest of my life, and that's quite a freeing feeling.
Q. What did you learn about how to win the Masters by winning the Masters? Because you'd obviously been trying to find that secret for a very long time.
RORY McILROY: I think it goes back to the -- what I was just saying before about staying aggressive. I think Augusta over the years has made me quite tentative at times, especially with approach play, and I think once you get tentative, you can start leaving yourself in some really bad spots, and it's hard to get up-and-down.
So I think staying aggressive around there. 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. 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.
Q. Just to follow up, everyone talks about the roller coaster ride that was the fourth round. Do you ever reflect on the start of the third round where you began with six consecutive 3s and how important was that?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, amazing. You know, I feel like I won the Masters in a 15-hole stretch. You know, the second nine on Friday, and then the six on Saturday. I shot 31 on the second nine on Friday, and I was 5-under -- I was 5-under through five holes on Saturday. So even a 14-hole stretch, I was 10-under for a 14-hole stretch and my total score for the tournament was 11-under and got me into the playoff.
Yeah, I do, I think a lot about the second nine on Friday and then the first few holes on Saturday because that was the stretch of golf that really won me the tournament.
Q. You mentioned Harry gave you the reset between 18 and sudden death and how starting the playoff is an opportunity you would have taken at the beginning of the week. Harry is someone that's taken years of criticism, and you've always said that is unwarranted. What do the critics not understand about what Harry does for you?
RORY McILROY: I think just -- I think they don't understand that he provides a level of comfort on the golf course for me that probably no one else in the world could.
You know, if I make a mistake or we make a mistake, I'm much less likely to get angry or get bothered by it because he's the one on the bag rather than someone else. It's much harder for me to get angry at myself or at him with him next to me than it would be with someone else.
I think, as well, because Harry, you know, hates the spotlight, hates doing any sort of media, because he's not as outspoken. You know, people don't hear from him. So he never has an opportunity to stand up for himself. So that's where I step in and I try to be that one that stands up for him because no one knows what he's doing or thinking or saying because he doesn't want anyone to know what he is doing or thinking or saying.
So you know, that's one of the things that I really appreciate about him, as well. He's obviously a very loyal friend but at the same time he's doing it solely for the purpose for us to go out there and win major championships, and big tournaments, and that's enough for him.
Q. You've spoken about wanting to go back and enjoy the week this year, but you also mentioned the chat you had with Phil a decade or so ago. Just wondering, have you spoken to anybody or will you speak to anybody at the dinner about multiple wins at Augusta, what it takes to come back and keep winning?
RORY McILROY: I mean, no, I honestly think that I've done it once, and I've -- it's not as if I have to win it again to win the Grand Slam. I think it was sort of two things that won; obviously wanted to win the Masters so badly, but then obviously at the same time knowing what the Masters would give me and the people that it would put me alongside.
So I think now going to win the Masters just to win the Masters is a nice thing.
But no, I haven't really spoken to anyone about that. But I think that I've won it once, and I feel like that will make it a bit easier for me to win again.
Q. After wanting this for a decade plus, what was the morning after like?
RORY McILROY: A little foggy, I would say. It was -- you know, I think I woke up and I just had to make sure that it wasn't a dream or it wasn't -- people talk about those pinch-me moments and it really was like, did that really happen?
You know, it was a wonderful night. It carried on for a couple days. But it's the same stuff. I needed to get up and I needed to pack my suitcase and load the car up and go to the airport and do all the things that you normally have to do after a tournament.
But it was fun. I mean, it was so much fun to get home and have dinner at home and wear this jacket and just put the coverage on, watch the highlights. Yeah, it's the best. You have that immense of, like, satisfaction, and you reflect on the journey.
Again, like I kept saying this afterwards, but it just made me -- it made me feel incredibly grateful for everything that's happened in my life. And I think that's been the overwhelming feeling of having this jacket for a year is just how honored and grateful I am that I was able to do it, and how grateful I am that I've had so much great support along the way.
There's some -- I talk about the morning after getting the world No. 1 and having this sort of empty feeling, I didn't have that with this. I think I was chasing it for so long.
But as time goes on, it becomes normal and it's been normal for me to go into my closet and see the green jacket hanging there. I only have five more weeks with it, unfortunately. But hopefully it's not the last time I get to bring off property.
THE MODERATOR: We appreciate your time, Rory, and thanks everyone for joining today.
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