Rory McIlroy said winning the Masters again wasn't the 'destination.' It's a lesson for anyone chasing career milestones.
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Rory McIlroy said he's treating his Masters victory differently this time, so as not to feel the post-win slump. Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images 2026-04-13T04:04:04.737Z Share Copy link Email Facebook WhatsApp X LinkedIn Bluesky Threads lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.
Impact Link Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. Rory McIlroy won the Masters tournament on Sunday for the second year in a row. He said he was treating this win as part of a longer career journey to not face a post-win slump. Last year, he spoke about feeling less motivated in the months following his win. AI-generated summary Summaries are generated by an AI model trained on Business Insider's articles. AI may make mistakes or provide inaccurate/incomplete information. We're unable to load that answer right now. Please try again. What strategies prevent post-win slumps? What are McIlroy's future career goals? What defines a successful sports career? How does McIlroy's mindset impact his game? How do athletes handle performance pressure? Rory McIlroy, who just won the Masters tournament for the second year in a row, said he was treating the career milestone differently this time. Loading audio narration... In response to a reporter asking whether he would take time off to soak in the win like he did last year, the Northern Irish golfer said he considered this win "just a part of the journey," and there are still many things he wants to achieve."I felt like the Grand Slam was the destination, and I realized it wasn't," he said on Sunday. "I'm on this journey. I've just won my sixth major, and I feel like I'm in a really good spot with my game and my body."McIlroy, 36, won the 2026 Masters tournament held in Augusta, Georgia. He said in the press conference that he had waited so long to win the Masters, only to find himself winning two in a row."But I don't think I'll go through that lull of motivation or the sort of things that I was feeling last year post-winning this tournament," McIlroy added. Read our coverage of the Masters How to watch the Masters free: Live stream the final day of the first major golf championship of 2026 34 quirks, myths, rules, and traditions that make the Masters unique Private jets are flocking to a small regional airport for The Masters, the billionaires' favorite golf tournament Here's how much every Masters winner has won since the tournament began in 1934 Last June, after a weak showing at the RBC Canadian Open, he spoke about hitting a slump in the months after his first Masters win.He said he wasn't chasing any goals, and after a couple of weeks off from the sport, said that "grinding on the range for three or four hours every day is maybe a little tougher than it used to be.""You have this event in your life that you've worked toward, and it happens," McIlroy said. "Sometimes it's hard to find the motivation to get back on the horse and go again."President Donald Trump congratulated McIlroy on his win in a Sunday post on Truth Social.Trump, an avid golfer himself, wrote: "He performed tremendously under intense pressure, something which few people would be able to even think about doing.""With each year, Rory is becoming more and more a LEGEND!" he added.