Rory McIlroy arrives at Augusta National this week in an unprecedented position — defending a Masters title rather than chasing one.
However, the Northern Irishman’s bid to retain the green jacket faces significant uncertainty due to a persistent back problem.
The 2025 champion pulled out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March after the injury flared up.
His subsequent appearance at The Players Championship on 12 March proved disappointing, with McIlroy finishing in a tie for 46th place.
Since that underwhelming performance at TPC Sawgrass, the four-time major winner has been absent from competitive golf entirely.
Following a promising start to 2026, his recent form on the PGA Tour has declined markedly.
CBS reporter Amanda Balionis has now voiced reservations about McIlroy’s prospects of claiming consecutive green jackets.
Rory McIlroy arrives at Augusta National this week in an unprecedented position — defending a Masters title rather than chasing one
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“I think, listen, he said it at The Players, right? He felt rusty,” Balionis remarked to the Fairway Rollin podcast.
“He didn’t look quite himself and he’s not going through the same schedule that he went through last year that led to success.”
The broadcaster highlighted how golfers tend towards superstition when it comes to major championship preparation.
Amanda Balionis fears for Rory McIlroy as the Masters looms
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She suggested McIlroy would ideally have wanted to mirror his victorious 2025 approach but acknowledged this was impossible given his rehabilitation requirements.
“That’s obviously not in the cards for him right now as he tries to get that back to 100%, tries to knock that rust off,” Balionis added.
Balionis expressed particular concern about the demands Augusta National places on players managing back complaints, noting the course’s undulating terrain presents unique challenges.
“I don’t know, back issues at Augusta National are tough,” she observed.
“We’ve seen it with a lot of players. This is a hard place to be wondering at what point am I going to feel that tug in my back?”
The reporter admitted uncertainty regarding McIlroy’s recovery progress but remained sceptical about his physical condition heading into the tournament.
Rory McIlroy won the Masters last year, completing the career Grand Slam in the process
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“I would be hard pressed to say he’s a 100 per cent,” Balionis stated.
“I just don’t think those back things solve themselves like that when you’re a golfer and you have to keep practicing and you have to keep doing the motion that likely caused whatever the thing is.”
McIlroy, however, sought to play down concerns about his back affecting his game during a media session at The Players on 12 March.
“Honestly, overall it was fine,” McIlroy said of his injury. “Got a little bit tired at the end of the day, but yeah, it was actually all pretty good.”
Despite these reassurances, the Northern Irishman conceded he felt far from sharp on the course.
He added: “It’s weird, I obviously played on Friday; it’s not as if I’ve taken a ton of time off. But just felt like unbelievably rusty out there.”
