McIlroy Looks Strong in Masters Practice Round

Northern Irish star Rory McIlroy impresses fellow pro Tom McKibbin ahead of title defense

Apr. 8, 2026 at 9:06am

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Rory McIlroy, the defending Masters champion, has been dealing with a back injury that forced him to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month. However, fellow Northern Irish golfer Tom McKibbin, who is making his Masters debut, revealed that McIlroy looked sharp during their practice round together at Augusta National, making the course look 'easy' on the closing holes.

Why it matters

McIlroy's health and form heading into the Masters are crucial, as he looks to become the first player to win back-to-back green jackets since Tiger Woods. McKibbin's insights provide an encouraging sign for McIlroy's chances of successfully defending his title.

The details

McKibbin said he played the final four holes with McIlroy, who won the 2022 Masters. McIlroy made those closing holes 'look pretty easy,' according to McKibbin. The young pro also noted that McIlroy's tee shot on the 18th hole was significantly longer than last year's, likely due to the windy conditions on the day.

  • On Tuesday, McKibbin played a practice round with McIlroy at Augusta National.
  • Last month, McIlroy withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a back injury.

The players

Rory McIlroy

The 36-year-old Northern Irish golfer is the defending Masters champion, having won his first green jacket in 2022.

Tom McKibbin

A fellow Northern Irish golfer who is making his Masters debut this year.

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What they’re saying

“It was cool. He went early and played 18. I started on the back around 9:00, and he caught up with us around 15. So we played the last four holes. It was pretty nice.”

— Tom McKibbin, Golfer

“Obviously, he won here last year, and it's sort of cool to play a couple holes with the defending champ was nice. Yeah, he made those last couple holes look pretty easy.”

— Tom McKibbin, Golfer

“I asked him about his second shot into 17. It was pretty incredible.”

— Tom McKibbin, Golfer

“We were just talking about how far he hit the tee shot. I think we hit like a 6 and a 7-iron in there today, and I think he was hitting a wedge in last year. So, yeah, it definitely plays long when it was into the wind today.”

— Tom McKibbin, Golfer

What’s next

McIlroy will continue to prepare for his title defense at the 2023 Masters, which begins on April 6th. All eyes will be on his health and form as he looks to become the first player to win back-to-back green jackets since Tiger Woods.

The takeaway

Despite dealing with a recent back injury, Rory McIlroy appears to be in strong form heading into his Masters title defense, according to fellow pro Tom McKibbin. McIlroy's ability to navigate Augusta National's challenging closing holes with ease during their practice round is an encouraging sign for his chances of repeating as champion.