This year’s Masters was different in terms of coverage. Amazon Prime was covering the event for the first time. And then ESPN introduced a few cross-play athletes for the Masters broadcast. However, the move to bring Jason Kelce into the Par 3 tradition led to heavy backlash. But Rory McIlroy defended him, while maintaining his stance on the traditions.
“No. Like, I thought you were very additive to the par three,” the Northern Irishman said on the New Height Show. “I think when people say grow the game, they mean different things. To me, what the real thing of growing the game is, is growing the participation in the sport, right? Getting more people to play the game. If what ESPN did, for example, at the Masters encourages people to go and play the game, I think that’s amazing.”
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“And yes, Augusta is very traditional in its ways, and golf is very traditional. But I don’t think any other golf organization pushes the envelope as much as Augusta does. You know, they’ve embraced what you guys did with the par three. And like, golf’s demographic is old. How do we get it younger? And then if you get the young people in early, then they’ll be in golf for the rest of their life.”
Former NFL center Jason Kelce put on a caddie suit for Akshay Bhatia. Kelce spent the afternoon eating sandwiches and just being his usual energetic self. He faced a lot of backlash for this. He was not alone, though. Kevin Hart came to the event acting as a caddie for Bryson DeChambeau. Pat McAfee was also there covering the event. Many golf fans felt that these non-golf stars were turning the Masters Wednesday into a comedy show.
“There’s gotta be some kind of petition we can sign to make this stop,” and “I’m so over this guy. Can we move on, please?” are some of the fan comments about his presence at the Masters Par 3 Contest.
While fans were angry, Rory McIlroy was supportive of Kelce.
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According to him, he added to the traditional contest in his own way. The Northern Irishman believes that Kelce’s energetic approach helped bring a younger audience to the game of golf. This reflects Bryson DeChambeau’s personality. DeChambeau is also seen as very energetic and someone who can attract young fans to the sport.
This is important because golf is considered an old man’s sport. A 2024 survey found that the average age of an on-course golfer in the US was 43.5 years. Thus, trying something different to bring in younger golfers is beneficial, according to McIlroy.
However, the 30x PGA Tour winner also maintained his traditionalist stance. He said that golf traditions can bring certain values to golfers. The Northern Irishman also cited Cameron Young as an example. During the Cadillac Championship 2026, Young called an official during the final round when he saw his golf ball rotate forward during his back swing on the 2nd hole’s fairway. This led to a one-stroke penalty for him.
Rory McIlroy called it the kind of value that every golfer should have.
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McIlroy’s perspective on golf’s future carries extra weight right now. At 37 years old, he is playing the best golf of his career.
Rory McIlroy is more motivated than ever
Last month, he defended his Master’s title at Augusta National. He had to wait for over a decade to wear the iconic green jacket, and now he has done it twice in two years. This has motivated him to shape his legacy by focusing on majors.
“I’m excited for this week. I’m excited for Aronimink next week, Shinnecock, [Royal] Birkdale. If anything, I’m more motivated after what happened at Augusta this year than I’ve ever been,” he said ahead of the Truist Championship.
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Rory McIlroy is playing his first event after the Masters win this week. While Scottie Scheffler and a few other elites are absent, the 30x PGA Tour winner is in the field. He had revealed previously that he now wants to focus more on majors than standard or even Signature Events. And now, his comments reflect that view, as he is more excited and motivated than ever for the remaining three majors of the year.
His renewed focus on majors shows that Rory McIlroy is shaping both his legacy and the direction he believes golf should take. That same mindset ties back to his defense of Jason Kelce. He sees growth and tradition as two sides of the same coin rather than opposing forces.
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