After starting the year playing the two tournaments in Dubai on the DP World Tour and taking a couple of weeks off to practice at home, Rory McIlroy returns to the PGA Tour. The Northern Irishman kicks off his season on the American tour this week by competing in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California, the first designated event of the new season, with a reduced field of 80 players, million-dollar prizes, more FedEx points… and high competition, highlighted by the World Number One in the Official World Golf Ranking, Scottie Scheffler.
The Northern Irishman, after his practice round this Tuesday, went through the press room of the spectacular American course to review a good handful of current topics. From the state of his current game, changes in his equipment, his memories of the victory he achieved a year ago in this same event, the Masters, the Ryder… or the rivalry with Scottie, whom he considers one of the great players in the history of golf and whose consistency he will try to emulate to challenge him not only in the big events but also in the OWGR.
“Last year was an incredible way to start the 2025 season. Historically, Pebble Beach had not been a course where I had played particularly well, I had played decently, but nothing spectacular. Winning on a course where I had never won before, and where I hadn’t even really been in contention, gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of the year,” began the Northern Irishman, who will defend his title this week.
“I especially remember the control I had over the ball’s trajectory, especially in tough conditions on Saturday. Many of the things I had worked on during the preseason I was able to bring here and apply, and that was a huge confidence boost. From there, I played very well in that first part of the year, won THE PLAYERS, and then reached Augusta. It was a perfect way to start the season,” insisted Rory before analysing the current state of his game after the early-year European circuit tournaments.
“My game feels in very good shape right now. I finished last season strong, played well in the Middle East, and then went to Australia, which was a fantastic experience. I was testing different iron setups, changed the ball, and tweaked some equipment, but that experiment is over, and I’ve returned to the irons I’ve used practically my entire career,” he revealed.
“I’ve had two good weeks at home to practice, Michael Bannon was with me the last few days, and I feel like I’m arriving here in a very solid situation. I haven’t done anything spectacular lately, but I feel my game is well-built,” confirmed McIlroy.
After discussing those tests with new irons, it was inevitable to face questions about it: “With the cavity backs, I felt there was a slight bias to the right. I made swings that with the blades gave me a very neutral trajectory, and with these irons, the ball started to escape to the right. That’s not necessarily bad because I don’t like seeing the ball going left, but it forced me to release the shot more.”
“The problem is that for many years I’ve been used to feeling that more controlled, more ‘held’ shot at impact, and moving from that to fully releasing the club was a different sensation, especially under pressure and in competition. It just didn’t feel as familiar as I wanted,” he explained about why he decided to return to his usual irons. What he has decided to change is the ball.
“The ball is fantastic. It launches about one degree lower with all the clubs, with very similar spin, and I’ve gained a bit of speed with the longer clubs, especially with the driver. It’s a ball with slightly higher compression, and that gives me a bit more speed,” he detailed.
Rory also spoke about Pebble Beach, his challenge for the week, and his interest in course architecture, although he doesn’t see himself building them at the moment: “My favourite hole here is the 10th. It’s a very demanding hole from the tee and also on the second shot. I love that you can see the entire beach leading into Carmel, and that house behind the green is, literally, the most beautiful house in the world. For me, the 10th is the most special hole.”
“I’m very interested in course architecture, and it’s something I might consider in the future, but right now I’m good at playing courses, not building them. If I ever do it, I want to learn well, be alongside someone who truly knows, and do it correctly. I don’t want to put my name on something mediocre,” he confirmed.
The THE PLAYERS and the Masters, of course, also came up in the conversation with journalists: “THE PLAYERS is one of the best tournaments in the world, I don’t think anyone disputes that. From a player’s perspective, it’s incredible, from the fan experience, it’s also amazing, the course is spectacular. But I’m a traditionalist, a golf historian. We have four Majors. THE PLAYERS doesn’t need to be anything more than it already is. It even has a clearer identity than the PGA Championship right now. It’s a huge tournament in its own right and doesn’t need the major label.”
“If you ask me about the identity of the PGA Championship, for me, it should return to August. ‘The last chance for glory.’ I think it fit perfectly there,” opined McIlroy about the second major of the season.
And of course, he had to talk about Scheffler, whom he will face for the first time in 2026 this week: “If I had to critique myself from last year, I would say that after Augusta, I didn’t maintain the level of consistency I would have liked. Scottie, on the other hand, has just strung together 17 consecutive top 10s. Even when he starts poorly, like last week with +2 on the first day, he finds a way to rebuild and get back in contention.”
“He’s relentless. I’m not going to stop praising Scottie because what he’s doing is incredible. He’s the first player since Tiger to achieve this level of consistency week after week. Anyone who wants to get close to him will have to bring that same level every week,” said the Northern Irishman, acknowledging his great rival at the moment.
Regarding the Masters, where he will also defend his title, he noted: “I don’t think about the Masters every day. Only when someone reminds me or when something related comes up. I prefer to think it’s already happened, it was wonderful, and now I want to move forward because I have more goals and more things I want to achieve. I don’t think every week should be preparation for Augusta. That makes it too big in your head. You want to get there with good rhythm, with accumulated competitive pressure, and having done things well week after week.”
However, he took the opportunity to recall an anecdote from the first time he had the chance to play the Green Jacket tournament: “The first time I set foot on Augusta was in February 2009. I remember being afraid even of making a divot on the fairway. I walked like on eggshells, completely impressed by the place.”
Finally, McIlroy recalled what happened in September at the Ryder, where under tremendous environmental pressure, the European team managed to retain the title: “The Ryder Cup in New York was a different experience. The Masters was more of a battle with myself; the Ryder Cup was against 50,000 New Yorkers. It’s a completely different comparison. I hope that was a one-off. Normally, the reception I get at tournaments is incredible, and I’m deeply grateful for it. I trust that the spirit of the Ryder Cup remains as it should be.”
