If anything has lured Rory McIlroy most coming into the 2026 season, it is defending his Masters title. He eagerly wants to make his name on the premium list that has names like Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods. And in doing so, he wants to keep the last season routine mostly untouched, which he followed before winning it, even if that costs him his participation in some important PGA Tour events.

“Yeah, absolutely,” McIlroy didn’t hesitate to say when asked if his schedule would fluctuate ahead of Augusta during a presser at the Genesis Invitational. So what’s the plan?

“Big day in San Antonio. Yeah, so I’ll probably get up there, I’ll probably walk around and watch the final round of the ANWA on Saturday. I’ll be a part of the Drive, Chip & Putt in some way, which I’m really excited about, and then I get to go out there and play with most likely my dad,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy’s roadmap to April is already planned. After competing in the final two events of the PGA Tour’s West Coast swing at Pebble Beach and Riviera, McIlroy has confirmed he will skip the Cognizant Classic next week. Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis reported that instead of heading to Florida, McIlroy will go directly to Augusta National next week to scout the course and prepare for his defense.

But after that, the #2 may be seen at the API 2026, THE PLAYERS, and the Texas Children’s Houston Open before skipping the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio. It was his last season’s routine that he hinted at following. McIlroy noted that he will be at Houston, where he secured a T5 finish last season, to set a perfect tone for his Masters victory. 

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And instead of playing in San Antonio, McIlroy is planning to visit the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA).  It is scheduled from April 1-4, around the same time the PGA Tour hosts the Valero Texas Open. Todd Lewis previously confirmed that during that time, McIlroy would play at Augusta National alongside his father, Gerry McIlroy, and Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley. Later, McIlroy also confirmed the same.

Last season, McIlroy didn’t have that luxury, though.

But this early appearance will not be McIlroy’s first journey to Augusta since his win. He actually visited the club in December 2025 for filming purposes. During that visit, he experienced the “perks” of being a champion for the first time, including staying on-site without needing a member present.

McIlroy described the visit as “nostalgic” rather than “emotional,” particularly the moment he visited the Champions Locker Room. He revealed that his nameplate is now situated alongside legends of the game such as Ben Hogan and Ray Floyd. “It was cool to get up to the champions’ locker room and see my nameplate,” McIlroy remarked, noting that seeing his name inside made him ‘very excited’ to defend his title.

But as of now, how prepared is Rory McIlroy?

The right answer to this question should be, more than ever. The most significant angle of his 2026 season has been his equipment experiment. Early in the year, McIlroy switched to TaylorMade P7CB cavity-back irons. But the experiment didn’t go well. So prior to his PGA Tour season debut at Pebble Beach, he decided to return to his roots. “That experiment’s over,” McIlroy stated, as he moved back to his “trusty” TaylorMade RORS Proto blades.

And McIlroy’s performance at the 2026 Genesis Invitational suggests his decision is already bearing fruit. He opened with a 5-under 66 at Riviera to share the clubhouse lead, handling drenching rain and winds with a level of comfort he admitted he lacked earlier in his career.

“I’ve definitely got more comfortable playing in conditions like this over the past few years as I’ve gotten more comfortable in controlling my ball flight,” McIlroy said. “I’ve started to just really enjoy this style of golf.

And by the halfway point of the tournament, McIlroy carded a 6-under 65 to reach 11-under par. It placed him just one shot off the lead.