Rory McIlroy walked off Augusta National last April wearing a green jacket and a grin that said "11 years, finally." I watched the trophy ceremony thinking: this changes everything for him. Twelve months later, I'm not so sure. McIlroy withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational with back spasms, limped to a T46 at the Players Championship, and arrives at the 90th Masters as the defending champion nobody's picking to repeat. The bookmakers have Scottie Scheffler at +500. McIlroy sits at +1000. That gap tells you something.
Sports
Can Rory McIlroy Defend His Masters Title With a Dodgy Back and Scheffler Lurking?
McIlroy arrives at Augusta as the defending champion nobody's picking to repeat. Bookmakers have Scheffler at +500 and McIlroy at +1000. That gap tells you something about the back injury, the field depth, and the brutal 1.7% base rate for back-to-back Masters titles.
Executive Brief
The Dossier
Appendix & Sources
Sources & References
- , McIlroy Players Championship recap, March 2026
- , Masters 2026 odds and futures
- , Masters 2026 predictions model
- , McIlroy back injury and Masters prep concerns
- , Masters 2026 futures odds
- , 2026 Tournament field and course changes
- , Masters 2026 odds favorites and trends
- , Rory McIlroy Masters odds 2026
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