The Draw: Rory McIlroy Repeats at the 2026 Masters

In this episode of The Draw, hosts Brian and Nathan recap the 2026 Masters, where Rory McIlroy won his second straight green jacket after a historic 36-hole lead and after holding off a late Scottie Scheffler charge to win by one for his sixth major.

They discuss Scheffler’s missed chances (notably a putt on 17), Cameron Young’s birdie-less back nine Sunday after leading Saturday and Justin Rose’s collapse on the back nine. They also praise Collin Morikawa’s gritty Sunday surge despite a back injury to finish top 10.

The hosts then note LIV golfers largely underperformed aside from Tyrrell Hatton, including Bryson DeChambeau missing the cut with a triple on 18. Looking ahead, they preview the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town and the LPGA's JM Eagle LA Championship. 

The Draw is a Fairway to Green podcast. See all episodes at www.fairwaytogreen.com.

Transcript

Rory Wins The Masters - Again

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hello, welcome back to the Draw Fair to Green podcast. And we have a back-to-back Masters champion in Rory McElroy. He made it interesting over the weekend, started the weekend with a six-stroke lead, and he ended up winning by one, which made for good TV because I thought it was going to be a blowout. Scotty Scheffler made a late charge, but just couldn't really get over that final hump. Rory McElroy now has six major titles.

SPEAKER_00 0:24

Yeah. You know, after watching Friday's round of Roy's, it was wow, is this guy gonna lose the Masters ever again? Like he he was on fire that back nine with I think six birdies is unbelievable performance by Rory. And I mean, uh, it was nice to see the gap kind of close on Saturday and to have a good nice viewing round uh on Sunday, making it kind of close. A lot of people who had the chance to win, but ultimately ultimately Rory came through with the win. He played, I'd say he didn't have his A game for sure, but he did he play uh played well enough to win his second green jacket in a row.

Scottie Scheffler's Missed Chances

SPEAKER_01 0:59

Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of people we can talk about. And your pick, Matt Fitzpatrick played well, didn't really contend like we thought. Cameron Young, my pick, he was up there, kind of had a poor final round, had a good Saturday, didn't really have a good Sunday. Uh, I want to start with Sky, who finished one stroke back and honestly probably could have won at the putt on. I think it was 17 that somehow didn't go in. It was shocking, but he really lost the tournament on Friday. He shot 74. If he just shoots an even par round, he wins. I mean, he didn't even wasn't even playing his best, and neither was Rory, even though he won. But man, just to see those two, I was really hoping for a playoff of the world number one, world number two, because that would have been phenomenal.

SPEAKER_00 1:45

Yeah, it was a total of 180 from what we said on last week's podcast of oh, it's anyone's tournament, and then you have, you know, comes Sunday, you have Rory at the top of the leaderboard, and Scotty finishing second. And it was a it was a crazy tournament. Um, and uh Scotty Sheffler, I was really pushing for and he's a couple more putts dropping on Sunday because he was striking the ball very well. He had made he saved par with some you know very pretty lengthy par putts on the front nine and couldn't get any of his birdie putts to drop on the back nine. Unfortunately, that one on 17 was really brutal for Scotty Scheffler. Um, and unfortunately, I was I was kind of pulling for Scotty Scheffler. I was I really I was pulling for Justin Rose, um, but he kind of shot he he shot himself in the foot on the back nine, unfortunately. Just a couple chunked a chip, some poor iron shots, and you know, it happens. But you know, I've as you mentioned, I would have also liked to see that Rory Scotty playoff, and didn't happen, but um, I mean, I was still very pleased with you know the the qual the the tournament this weekend, nothing really to complain about.

Justin Rose Falls Short

SPEAKER_01 2:45

Yeah, Justin Rose looked like and he entered the back nine of the two-stroke lead, looked on cruise control, and the chunk chip shot at 16 was like shocking. Like, I gasped, I audibly gasp. I'm like, What? Like, you don't see Justin Rose do that ever. Like, especially in pressure situation, he's always cool and calm, and that was a shocking one. And there's the other iron shot he yanked way left and hit a good chip, so that was fine. But yeah, this last year he surged up the leaderboard to get into that playoff, and this year he kind of faded. And I know he's 45, 46, and he keeps saying he's as he's gonna have more chances. I just these last two years were so good, and like I don't know how many more chances you're gonna get. Like it's tough because again, I'm coming down with church, I'm like, you know what, let Justin Rose win. Like, Rory won last year, Cam Young, he's still young. Scotty has a couple, Tyrell Hatton, who got to 10 under, like, really was never gonna win. He set the clubhouse lead at 10 under, but that was a good round by him. But I'm like, man, if Rosie could win one, that would be great. I mean, it would be second major to go along with the US Open and has a gold medal, all those rider cup appearances. Like, yeah, yeah, that his his final six holes were just shocking to me.

SPEAKER_00 4:01

Yeah, that Amen corner run for Justin Rose really, really, you know, kind of rattled his confidence. And I think that was his undoing. You know, on 11, you see him hit it very far right and have an almost impossible chip, makes bogey. 12, he chunks the chip and makes bogey after hitting his first shot, you know, way far left and long. And then 13, he gets on the green in two, and then three putts for par. It's just it was really disappointing. I feel I mean, no one obviously feels worse about it than Justin Rose, but I feel you know, everyone watching on Sunday, or most people were pulling for Justin Rose. And you know, how as you mentioned, how many chances does Justin Rose have left? He's 45, and he's not many, uh, to be honest. Uh, I would like to be proven wrong. I hope he can pull, you know, like a Jack Nicholas winning at however old Jack Nicholas was when he won his his final masters. But unfortunately, I don't see that. And I'm very I'm Justin Rose is one of the nicest guys on tour, one really great guy. And it's stink it stinks to see you know him you know losing back-to-back years like this, and not to mention his you know, three runner-ups at the Masters, but like before this week. And it stinks, but yeah, that's how it goes sometimes in professional golf. You you know, you live you lose a lot more than you win. And unfortunately, you know, this tournament might it's tough, it's a tough one for Justin Rose.

Cameron Young Stalls

SPEAKER_01 5:24

Yeah, I mean, the other person we've got to talk about Cameron Young for a sec, who got to the top of the leaderboard on Saturday with a great round, and he took the lead early on in the front nine, and the back nine, he just he didn't make any bogeys, it just didn't make any birdies. I think his last birdie was on hole eight. And for someone like Cameron Young who has the firepower to get to those two par fives on the back nine easily, just was kind of disappointing, and he didn't even look like he'd never been there, just he hit some good putts and the putter wasn't cooperating. Like he had the one lip out on I think it was 16 on the par three. That is like, well, it's just not your day, but he's played well. I he's gotta be the favorite at the PJ Championship at Araimink in May because from what I know it's a bomber's paradise. Like, if you you need to hit the ball long, and he does that, and he's a great putter. So he'll be the favorite or one of the favorites there come May. But yeah, it's another good start, another good tournament for him, and he's clearly the third best player in the world right now. I think he's ranked number third anyway. So to have one, two, and three all contending up there was fun to watch on Sunday.

SPEAKER_00 6:35

Yeah, Cameron Young, I wouldn't I wouldn't say he played poorly on Sunday. He just wasn't the Cameron Young we've seen at the players in the first or the uh Friday and Saturday at the Masters, you know. Uh he he was hitting fairways, you know, as he usually does, bombing it down the fairway. And then, you know, on hole seven, he hits the middle of the fairway, you know, very, very easy pin and puts it in the front bunker, very uncharacteristic. And then, as you mentioned, just couldn't buy a putt really on that back nine. Didn't didn't make it really any bogies. He just, you know, it happens, you don't make putts, you know. And I know, yeah, I feel it, he'll I feel like he will have a chance at the Masters again. He is young, he is, you know, getting into his prime. And it's you know, it's it's discouraging, but you know, he he'll be okay. And he's another one, you know, another one of these younger guys who he'll be okay and he'll have his chance again, but you know, it wasn't his day on Sunday, it's just how it goes.

SPEAKER_01 7:28

Yeah, and the the last person I want to talk about is Tom Morkow, who hasn't played in a month since the players' championship. He played one hole and then had a withdrawal with a back injury, and he was just kind of not he was fine, and then all of a sudden Sunday he makes I think it was five birdies in a row, and more so than his play was like if you watched him walk, you could tell he was in pain. Like he was walking very gingerly, picking up the ball out of the hole. It was like tough to watch and to fight through. And he shot a final round, I think, 68 to get into the top ten. I mean, he just it took a lot of guts. I I thought he wasn't gonna play from what I heard. He was seeing if he could play, and he did. And hey, power to him because back injury with a golfer is not great. And to play one of the hardest golf courses in the world and play it well, I mean, kudos to him.

SPEAKER_00 8:24

Yeah, Koamurakawa. Uh coming into this week, as you mentioned, I wasn't sure he was gonna play. You know, you track the masters, the players in the range Tuesday and Wednesday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. He's barely hit he's hitting little to no shots on the range. Everyone's going, Kahla Murakawa is he gonna play, makes the cut, goes out on Sunday, and as you mentioned, five birdies in a row. And I feel like it might have the effect of you know, when pitchers in the baseball they have, you know, the flu or like a flu game, Michael Jordan, you know, you're Steven Strasberg, if you know, like king of illnesses, you go out there and throw a 12 strikeouts. But it kind of I feel like in in that scenario, he's thinking less. If this makes sense, he thinks less about the pressure of playing at the Masters and is like, oh, my back hurts. That's the immediate thing right now. I'm going to just do my best and makes five birdies in a row, looks like the Colin War cow we know uh on Sunday. And it was very impressive. I don't know if he's in the field this week, but if he is, it would be very interesting to see how he plays. I know back injuries can be really tough, and I wouldn't be surprised if he sits out, but you never know, and but you don't want to push it too hard with an injury like that.

SPEAKER_01 9:30

Yeah, I think when I looked, he was in the field. We'll see how he feels uh as of now. I mean, I wouldn't be shocked again, but it is a signature event, so I I wonder if he'll try to go like last week and then he'll probably take a week or two off and then get to that last or the one signature event down in Miami at Durell. Uh is there anything else you have about the Masters before you move on to this week's tournament?

SPEAKER_00 9:57

Um I my picks were were I the guys I talked about, I did the Masters fantasy. I had my little pool there. I had you know Hideki, Patrick Reed, Matt Fitzpatrick. Uh didn't don't then maybe uh don't listen to me next time. I don't know. I was I was not very I wasn't too very close with my picks, but it happens. Uh you can't win them all, or in this case, I don't think I've won one yet this season.

SPEAKER_01 10:22

Yeah, I'm in uh I'm in like a one and done survivor type pool. So every week you have to pick a golfer and you get their money based on where they finish, and at the end of the year, like you see who won the most money, and you can only use a golfer once. So I was like, you know what? Let me use a live guy, and because I can't use them normally, let me use a live guy in the major, and I went with John Rahm, and boy, did he disappoint. And a lot of the live guys outside of Hatton weren't very good. I mean, DeChambeau, I mean we can talk about it with him, yeah. The the triple bogey on 18 to miss the cut on Friday. I mean, yeah, I don't I don't know. I don't want to buy into the narrative that live is too easy, so they're not prepared, but I don't know that's the correct way or what it is. But really, outside of hat, and I know DJ made the cut, but he finished tied 33, like none of them really contended.

SPEAKER_00 11:18

Yeah, I mean, yeah, Bryson, I feel like it's the same story every single year at the Masters, maybe different than last year, where he did compete on Sunday. But it's like Bryson, all this hype coming to tournament. I don't know, one year he said par 67. That was crazy, but we won't we won't linger on that. But it's like Bryson's coming to tournament, he's in great shape. He's won a few times on live or went on tour, hits the ball far, and you know, it's just it's just a letdown, to be honest. It's this year you saw him on was it 11? He chunked two shots in the bunker on 11. You know, yeah. It was just a it was missing left, right, all over the place, and mainly left, and it's just it was just disappointing. It's what you don't expect from Bryson. You know, he competes in these majors, he competes on live, and then you know, at the Masters, it seems like aside from last year was really an outlier is where is Bryson December at the Masters? And I just you know, you gotta think he's gonna switch something around to maybe figure it out at some point. But he, I mean what he's doing is works, you know, you know, however many weeks of the year that isn't the masters. So I don't know. It's there's there's a lot of questions surrounding Bryson and the Live Golfers, the rest of them underperformed besides Hatton on Sunday, who played very well. Uh not really much else to say about that.

SPEAKER_01 12:37

Yeah, I mean the good thing about it is that this week we have another signature event. So we get a lot of the the stars who were in the masters into the field, the RBC Heritage at Harbor Town Golf links. This is one of my more favorite terms to watch, non-major wise, because it's just it's a different type of golf course, it's very narrow, the greens are small, very contoured and slopey, so it makes it challenging, and that's kind of where the defense of the course is. And I I don't know if I love a signature event right after a major because you have like uh Roy McElroy was never in the field, Justin Rose with Drew, so he's out. So I don't know if there should be another tournament between these two, or does the RBC Heritage need to be a signature event? I don't know. Um, but I do enjoy watching this golf tournament.

SPEAKER_00 13:22

Yeah, I think the RBC Heritage should remain a signature event. I don't I I like the course, it's very fun. They have you know, I think it's this the one with the plaid jacket and the cannon, and they obviously have the famous lighthouse on a 18. So um fun course, you know. All past champions you've seen. I think Matthew Fitzpatrick won recently, Scotty Scheffler has one here. So uh great golf here, and I'm excited to watch this week. Uh, I can go into the picks if my pick if I'm here to see one. Okay, so my picker this week. Uh there were a few guys that I wanted to pick. There was the Scotty Cam Young playing well, and even Jordan Speed, I was tempted to pick because he was a runner up here one year, uh, to Matthew Vispond here. But yeah, and I I went with a guy because there's a lot of guys that who you who could play well when we could win. It's the PGA tour. And I'm going with a guy that I don't like this pick, not because I don't think he will win, but I just it's Wyndham Clark. I'll just say it. It's just it's it's Wyndham Clark. Uh he played well at the Masters for the he was kind of on the leaderboard at a couple points, um Saturday, Sunday, uh, even so I'll go with Wyndham Clark. He was tied for 21st at the Masters, and you know, he's one of these guys that if his game is on one week, you gotta look out. But yeah, that's the week. We all know about Windows. We all know about Wyndham Clark, and if you know me, you know how I feel about him. I think most people probably feel pretty similarly to Wyndham Clark, but uh the best comment uh on the par three yeah, I was gonna touch on that one too. You know, par the par three contest, you know, in this comment about like birth control or whatever. Like, bro, it's it's a family event, and yeah, you know, read the room, Windom. Read the room. But that is that's my pick. Uh, who do you have for this week?

SPEAKER_01 15:13

All right, I'm gonna go with Russell Henley. He is just so consistent. He finished top 10 again. I thought he had maybe had an outside chance on Sunday to get up there, but couldn't really get any putts to fall late in his round. He's just an elite ball striker, and at this course, you need that. I mean, again, the fairways are tight, the greens are small, and you're gonna need to hit it close. And he's also a good putter. He's has two top ten finishes here in his career. He has a couple other top 20s, and he doesn't really ever play bad. Like Russell Henley would be like if I was a golfer, I would want Russell Henley's career.

SPEAKER_00 15:50

I would like to argue Russell Henley played poorly at the Ryder Cup, and I was uh and I was very happy he didn't win on Sunday. Um, sorry, not really sorry, but um, I do like your pick though. He did win at Bahill, I believe, last year. Very good golfer, and he definitely could win this week. I I totally see that and how he played on Sunday and last weekend. Russell Henley, very good player. Unfortunately, I might have a little bit of beef with Russell Henry, but that's between that has no relevance at all to his golf skill.

JM Eagle LA Championship Preview and Picks

SPEAKER_01 16:17

Yeah, no, he was not he was not good at the Ryder Cup. Again, it it that's a whole it's tough being in your first one, but yeah, I I think again you said it, Speath has won here, Fitzpatrick's one here, Scheffler, GT won last year in playoff. Usually one of the premier players. I know Siwoo Kim usually has some good good finishes here. I think he has a win here too. So usually one of the top players win and wouldn't be shocked if one won this week. Over on the LPJ tour, we have the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Platts Bro down in the Los Angeles area. And again, they took a week off for the Masters and they're starting back up again. It's not the best field, no Nelly Corda in the field. I don't think there's I don't think in the field. So again, not the biggest fear. The uh last LPJ tour winner, Lauren Coughlin, is in the field, and so is Hi Joe Kim. So you got some recent winners here. Should be a nice golf course. It's a nice golf course. I I'm wondering if it'll be super dry because it's just California at this time of the year. So you maybe get a little more run out and get the greens a little firmer. Um, maybe maybe make it a little more challenging for the women. We'll see. Um, last year's winner, Hydro Kim, she's in the field, so you gotta think she'll be up there again this year.

SPEAKER_00 17:36

Yeah, um, you know, no Nelly, no Gino this week, you know, it is what it is. And obviously there was no tournament last week because the Masters, so it's gonna be really interesting to see who plays well after that week off. They played at Shadow Creek the week before the Masters, and you know, Lauren Coffin won, and you know, a couple other names are up there. Big names I think were just below her. So it will definitely be very interesting. And named who did not play very well at that tournament was Minji Lee. And funny enough, I actually I actually have picked her uh for this week. Um, she was fifth place at the Fortinet Founders Cup and she tied for third at the HSBC Women's World Championship. I was between I was thinking and you know, you could pick Hannah Green or Yoju Kim because they won multiple times this season, and you know, one of the hottest players in the world, and there's no Nelly who has finished second and first only this season, which is absolutely insane. But after the week off, I think Minji Lee is too good of a player to not really rebound, and I think she'll be up there uh at the end of the week.

SPEAKER_01 18:40

Yeah, I'm gonna go with Miyu Yamashida, who is coming off a good finish at the last event. She hasn't really won yet. I mean, she was rookie of the year last year and contended with Gino for player of the year, so I think she'll get her first win of the season. She's she's too good of a player not to win, and you could argue she's maybe the best player in the field this week. So I'm gonna go with the best player, and it is it's Yamashida for me.

SPEAKER_00 19:04

Yeah, sure. I would I don't definitely the arguments he made of her being the best player in the field, I would probably say she is the best player in the field. So I like that pick as well.

SPEAKER_01 19:14

Again, thank you for listening. Go check us out on our YouTube and our website, Farretor Green, also on our Instagram, Farretor Green. Uh, as we write more, we got the previews as always and the reviews of the last recaps. We'll talk to you next week and we'll we'll review these tournaments and preview the next ones. Enjoy the golf this weekend.