As Rory McIlroy lined up a shot from off the back of the 16th green at Augusta National, Kiwi commentator Frank Nobilo set the scene.
“On a golfing trip to New Zealand just before Christmas in 2024, former New Zealand Prime Minister [Sir] John Key gave him what’s calleda pounamu stone ... a good luck charm.
“It was in the bag last year. It’s in the bag this year. He’ll need skill, not luck, right here.”
McIlroy proceeded to play a perfect putt, leaving himself a tap-in par to stay two shots clear at the top of the Masters leaderboard.
That was where the Northern Irishman stayed, albeit after dropping a shot on the 18th, to win his second-straight Masters title by one stroke. Key told the Herald McIlroy’s manager had let him know the pounamu he gifted the grand-slam golfer was again in the bag for the Masters.
McIlroy first had the pounamu in his bag for the 2025 Players Championship, which he also won.
He became just the fourth player to achieve the feat, after Jack Nicklaus (1965 and ‘66), Sir Nick Faldo (1989 and ‘90) and Tiger Woods (2001 and ‘02).
It capped off a rollercoaster of a week for McIlroy, who found himself chasing the leaders earlier in the round.
McIlroy held the largest 36-hole lead in Masters history after his second round saw him 12-under-par and standing six shots ahead of the next best players in the field.
That unravelled in his third round, though, as he shot a one-over round which saw him in a tie for the lead going into the fourth round, before the likes of Cameron Young and Justin Rose played their way into the lead during the final 18 holes.
Even as he held a two-shot lead standing on the 18th tee, there was no guarantee of the result when he sent his tee shot wayward, then his second shot found the bunker and left him a tough lie. He was able to bogey it to seal a one-under round and a one-shot win.
“I obviously did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday, and I don’t think I would have believed anyone if they told me all you’d have to do was shoot even par for the weekend and you’ll win,” McIlroy said.
“The up-and-down on 16 and the up-and-down on 17 were huge, but I’m just absolutely delighted to be able to get it done. Having a six-shot lead heading into the weekend, it would have been a bitter pill to swallow if I wasn’t able to get myself over the finish line.”
Golf buddies Ryan Fox (from left), Jimmy Dunne, Rory McIlroy, Jim Rohrstaff and Ric Kayne. Team New Zealand (Fox and Rohrstaff) earned the victory at Tara Iti.
Speaking to media last year after McIlroy won his first Masters title, Kiwi PGA Tour golfer Ryan Fox said McIlroy loved his time in New Zealand.
“It was a pretty cool thing for John to do and obviously it means a lot to Rory ... it was a nice little story that we had a little bit of Kiwi on him when he was at Augusta.
“I’ve spoken to him several times about his trip down there and he absolutely loved it, and I know he’s keen to go back at some point if he can during his busy schedule, but [it’s] great to have a little piece of New Zealand that he loved. I mean, the New Zealand golf public was absolutely buzzing just to have him in the country.”
McIlroy will return Downunder later this year, again joining the field for the Australian Open. The tournament will be played at the prestigious Kingston Heath Golf Club from December 3-6.
