Rory McIlroy's preparations for the Masters have been defended after he revealed he had spent extensive time at Augusta National ahead of his successful title defence. McIlroy, who became the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters, had faced questions over the fairness of his build-up to the tournament. However, his approach has been backed by several figures in the golfing community, including Michael Kim and Kevin Kisner, who believe that McIlroy's time at Augusta was not an unfair advantage.
Sky Sports Golf's Nick Dougherty also defended McIlroy, stating that the opportunity to practice at Augusta is available to all players and that McIlroy had simply made smart use of his time. McIlroy had chosen to skip the three PGA Tour events leading up to the Masters, instead opting to practice at Augusta, where he felt he could better prepare for the tournament.
His decision paid off as he held on to beat Scottie Scheffler by one shot on Sunday, claiming his sixth major title and further solidifying his position among the sport's all-time greats.