Golf latest: McIlroy steps away after Masters win amid ‘unfair’ claim | Golf | Sport

The Northern Irishman edged out world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler by a single shot, with McIlroy requiring nothing more than a half-foot tap-in to secure his sixth major title. It marked the golfer’s first victory of 2026 and, despite the chance to return to competitive action this week, McIlroy has already made clear his intention to step away from the sport for a spell. Express Sport examines the biggest talking points surrounding the world No. 2, including his reaction to allegations that he benefited from an unfair advantage heading into the major.

This is not the first occasion the 36-year-old has chosen to skip the event, having done likewise last year following his breakthrough triumph at Augusta. Thanks to revisions in PGA Tour regulations, McIlroy will face no penalty for sitting out the tournament.

The situation was markedly different three years ago, when skipping the event cost him a staggering £2.2million. At the time, players were prohibited from missing two signature events in a single year, and McIlroy fell foul of that particular rule.

“I haven’t played anywhere else in the last two or three weeks really. I felt prepared in that way. I felt prepared that wherever I hit it on the golf course, I sort of know what to do. I know where to miss. I’m pretty comfortable with all the shots around the greens. I think it’s a good blueprint. I’m not going to take three weeks off before every major, but to get to the major venues early, do your preparation, play and not just play and look at things.

“Actually play. Go out there with one ball, shoot a score and try to do it that way. I talked to Jack Nicklaus over the years about how he prepared for majors and he would go the week before. He would simulate a tournament. He’d play one ball for four days, shoot scores so that when he got to the tournament it felt second nature to him. I did a little bit of that leading up to here and I certainly think that’s a good way to prepare going into the next majors.”

Erica Stoll tribute

Having claimed his first Masters crown last year, McIlroy faced criticism from fans for failing to mention his wife Erica Stoll in his post-victory speech. The golfer was careful not to repeat the same error, paying a heartfelt tribute to his wife, whom he described as his “biggest supporter.”

McIlroy said: “This is the hard part. I want to say a few thank yous to the people on my left. First and foremost, my wife and daughter, Erica and Poppy. They have to put up with me at home and, trust me, sometimes that’s a tough thing to do.

“But they have been my biggest supporters. This has definitely turned into Poppy’s favourite week of the year. I don’t know if it’s because of the Par 3 Tournament or it’s the all-you-can-eat ice cream in the players’ services building.”