McIlroy's Masters Prep at Augusta Defended as 'Not Unfair'

Rory McIlroy's preparations for his successful Masters title defense have sparked debate, but the golfing community has come to his defense, dismissing claims that his time spent at Augusta National was an unfair advantage. McIlroy, who became the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters, revealed that he had played at Augusta regularly in the weeks leading up to the tournament, which led to questions about the fairness of his build-up. However, golf experts and fellow players have defended McIlroy, stating that he had earned the right to practice at Augusta and that his preparations were a smart move. Sky Sports Golf's Nick Dougherty said, 'It has no sense to it really. I feel like that's more the people outside of golf not really understanding the process, how it all works and what's available to the players, probably driving it.' McIlroy's quotes about his preparations received immediate attention on social media, but questions over the fairness of his build-up to the tournament were put on hold when he gave up his six-shot lead during the third round. The debate resurfaced once McIlroy had produced a spirited display on Sunday, coming from behind to win. The golfing community has emphatically defended McIlroy, with American duo Michael Kim and Kevin Kisner among those to dismiss any questions over the champion's approach. Kim wrote on social media, 'Yes, there is a number of rounds that ANGC will say no to for me to go by myself and play by myself. That number is prob a little lower for me than a guy like Rory. If you find a member to host you every time, there's no limit.'