Rory McIlroy will return to Augusta National next month as reigning Masters champion, seeking to defend the title that completed his career Grand Slam. The 36-year-old Northern Irishman defeated Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff last April, capturing his fifth major after an 11-year wait.
"Defending the Masters Tournament is a pretty rare feat," McIlroy said, "and it's something that I would love to do." He described waking up with the Green Jacket as a surreal, deeply gratifying moment-unlike any other in his career.
McIlroy recently recovered from a back injury that forced him to skip the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He says his body is responding well and he’s preparing for another trip to Augusta.
As host of the Champions Dinner, McIlroy curated a menu blending personal history and fine dining. It features tuna carpaccio from Le Bernardin, his favorite New York restaurant, appetizers inspired by his mother’s recipes, and mains including wagyu filet mignon and seared salmon.
The wine lineup stars a 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild-the bottle he opened on victory night-and a 1989 Chateau d'Yquem, marking his birth year. "It is like liquid gold," he said.