Rory McIlroy's Masters Prep This Year Includes Avoiding Augusta National As Much As Possible

Rory McIlroy will be embarking on his 10th attempt at completing the career Grand Slam next week at the Masters. For as much as this year's Masters feels the exact same as the nine that came before it for McIlroy, he's going to do his best in making it feel as different as possible.

His gameplan heading into Masters week appears to be avoiding Augusta National for as long as he can until he tees it up for his opening-round tee time on Thursday.

For just the second time since 2014, McIlroy is teeing it up in a PGA Tour event the week prior to the Masters. The last time he took this approach came in 2022, when he missed the cut at the Valero Texas Open before following that up with a solo second at the Masters.

This isn't the only wrinkle he's adding to his Masters routine, however.

While he did reportedly make a quick scouting trip to Augusta National on Monday prior to arriving in San Antonio for this week's event, McIlroy isn't expected to arrive back at the course until late Tuesday of tournament week, according to Golfweek. He also doesn't have plans to participate in the Par 3 contest that Wednesday afternoon.

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Players, including those who wrap up their final rounds on Sunday at the Valero, will arrive at Augusta National on Monday to get some sort of work in on the grounds or even play nine holes.

With this being McIlroy's 16th Masters appearance, he's been there and done that and understandably sees no need to push himself at any capacity until arriving on Tuesday.

I think this approach goes beyond McIlroy simply being a veteran at this point, however.

There isn't another tournament in golf that carries the weight of the Masters. No matter if it's your first appearance, seventh, or 16th, it can't ever feel like just another golf tournament. It's why we've heard players for decades talk about how difficult it is to get into a rhythm when the tournament actually begins after expending so much energy and focus on the sheer idea of playing in the Masters.

McIlroy also has the burden of carrying the weight of completing the career grand slam a year older than he was the previous year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and so on.

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Every player in the field will tell you they try to treat Masters week like any other, but McIlroy is putting that mindset to action with a very late arrival to the grounds. 

The reality of the situation is, whether he made camp at Augusta a month ago or arrived an hour before his tee time on Thursday, McIlroy finding success at this year's Masters will come down to him blocking out the voice in his head constantly screaming at him over every shot that this swing could improve or cost him his chances of completing the slam.