Burden-free McIlroy has nothing to prove at 2026 Masters as others chase history

The atmosphere around the season’s first major — the Masters at Augusta in Georgia — is always rare. The best players in the game gather to try and claim one of the sport’s greatest prizes.

The traditions, such as a lifetime invite for past winners, are all part of the charm, which marks the Masters out as “different”, even within a sport that leans heavily on tradition.

But this year, two of the Masters’ most venerable champions — Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson — will not tee off. It’s the first time since 1994 that neither player has been at the tournament.

“Whether they’re 1,000 in the world or 500 in the world or whatever current rankings may be, their stature is way more elevated than that in the game of golf and always will be,” said last year’s runner-up, Justin Rose.

Woods has booked himself into a rehab facility after another car accident in which he was charged with driving under the influence of an undisclosed substance.

Mickelson, who has three green jackets, will not attend due to a “personal” family health matter.

Without Woods and Mickelson, despite their not being realistic contenders for the title, the tournament is missing a large chunk of its more recent history.

Rory’s relief

Fortunately, the Masters is one tournament that creates history on an annual basis.

Rory McIlroy’s 2025 triumph was one of the most significant in recent years as he became the sixth man to complete the career Grand Slam.

It also ended an 11-year major drought for McIlroy, as he achieved something he was always destined to do, although with each passing year of missing out, the scar tissue deepened and the doubts increased.

Having finally won after a play-off against Rose last year, McIlroy really has nothing left to prove in the game of golf. But he is still young enough to contend at Augusta for another decade at least, without the pressure of “needing” to win.

“For the past 17 years, I just could not wait for the tournament to start, and this year I wouldn’t care if the tournament never started,” McIlroy said in his pre-tournament media briefing. “That’s sort of the difference.”

As a result of that famous win 12 months ago, everything at the tournament has changed for the Ulsterman.

As a winner of the Masters, he received honorary membership to the Augusta National Golf Club, which includes a lifetime invite to the tournament and reasonably flexible access to play at the club.

But honorary membership is a far cry from full membership, which is by invitation only and is only offered at the exclusive discretion of the club’s membership committee.

Still, during championship week, McIlroy has no weight of expectation to bear.

“It’s completely different. I feel so much more relaxed,” said McIlroy. “It doesn’t make me any less motivated to go out there and play well and try to win the tournament, just relaxed.

“It is so nice to walk around the property or be out on the golf course and just not have that hanging over me.

“I think the story, as it relates to me, is what do I do from now onwards? What motivates me? What gets me going? What do I still want to achieve in the game?

“What I’ve realised is, if you can just really find enjoyment in the journey, that’s the big thing because honestly, I felt like the career Grand Slam was my destination, and I got there, and then I realised it wasn’t the destination.”

Select few

In the field of 91 players, about one-third are unlikely contenders, meaning, as far as depth of field goes, the Masters offers a chance for good golfers to make history.

Of the 33 past champions who were at the traditional Tuesday night dinner hosted by the defending champion (McIlroy), only about 12 are serious title contenders.

Not all past champions will play, as they recognise their limitations, but even the active former winners, such as Mike Weir, Zach Johnson, Charl Schwartzel and Bubba Watson, would be hard-pressed to make a realistic run at the title.

McIlroy will tee up as a favourite, but recent LIV Golf South Africa winner Bryson DeChambeau, two-time winner and world number one Scottie Scheffler and 2023 champion Jon Rahm will be serious threats.

Patrick Reed, the 2018 champion, has been in good form this year, and a host of others, such as the 2025 US Open winner and the victor in last week’s Texas Open, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele and even Rose, are all lurking.

The 29-year-old Scheffler arrives seeking his third green jacket in five years, a feat that would vault him into the atmosphere of Jack Nicklaus and Woods.

Scheffler is third on the Tour in scoring average in 2026 (69.6) and, crucially, has transformed his putting into a top-20 weapon. He currently averages a Tour best of 5.38 birdies per round. Yet, he remains the most grounded superstar in the game. Even as he prepares to chase history, he is managing the beautiful chaos of a growing family.

With his wife, Meredith, “running point” at home with their new son, Remy, and his older brother, Bennett, Scheffler views the serene, cellphone-free grounds of Augusta as a sanctuary for his “day job”.

“I truly feel that once you drive down Magnolia Lane, everything else melts away, and you get to be here and be focused,” said Scheffler. “There’s not a lot of distractions this week. For us as players, it’s really an enjoyable experience.

“The weather forecast looks great. It’s going to get firm and fast. I would imagine they would like the greens to get fast. I think that increases the challenge of the golf course. I’m excited to see how it plays this week. We might get a little bit of wind, too. The golf course is shaping up nicely.”

Reed, who recently left LIV Golf to rejoin the PGA Tour, must wait until August to regain full PGA Tour status.

In the interim, he is campaigning full-time on the DP World Tour, where he tops the order of merit.

“There’s just something so special about this place,” said Reed. “I feel like it’s the best test of golf we play all year round. For a guy that’s played just about everywhere in the world, it’s one of those places that I say hands down it’s the best test of golf and best golf course I’ve ever played.”

Reed has four top-10 finishes at Augusta since his 2018 victory, including third place last year.

South Africa has only a small contingent in 2026, with Schwartzel heading a three-man group, whose other members are Masters rookie Casey Jarvis and Aldrich Potgieter, who is making his second appearance.

Jarvis (22) is in the field courtesy of winning the 2026 SA Open, while 21-year-old Potgieter was the 2025 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. DM