Masters 2025: Rory McIlroy reveals key issue that needs “a little bit of work” ahead of the Masters 2025

Rory McIlroy reveals key issue that needs “a little bit of work” ahead of the Masters 2025

Modified Mar 30, 2025 21:38 GMT

PGA: Texas Children — Rory McIlroy at the Texas Children's Houston Open (Image Source: Imagn)

Rory McIlroy has revealed that his driving accuracy still needs some work ahead of the Masters 2025. He mentioned that he was having issues with chipping as well, but that aspect looked fine this week at the Texas Children's Houston Open.

On Saturday, March 29, McIlroy fired a bogey-free 5-under 65 to reach 9-under after the third round of the Texas Children's Houston Open 2025. He jumped 19 spots on Day 3 at Memorial Park, finishing eight shots off the lead.

During the post-round interview, the Northern Irishman was asked about the areas he wanted to fine-tune ahead of the Masters 2025.

"I wanted to see myself drive it a little bit better, which I haven't really seen." he replied. "It's hard here because, you know, it's so wide that it entices you to just stand up and try to hit it as hard as you can, so accuracy isn't a premium at all this week.

"Then I guess like short game-wise, like chipping, I wanted that to be a little better. I felt I was a little tentative with some chips at Sawgrass, but chipping's been really good this week. I scrambled well, so that's been good to see. Still feel like I need to do a little bit of work off the tee and sort of get the driver figured out," he added.

Rory McIlroy has had a mixed record at Augusta National so far. He has made 13 cuts in 16 starts and recorded seven top-10 finishes. In his past five starts, he has posted two top-5 finishes but also missed two cuts.

Can Rory McIlroy win the Masters 2025? Early odds explored

According to early odds, Rory McIlroy is among the favorites to win the Masters 2025. SportsLine lists him at +700 to claim his first-ever Green Jacket, second only to Scottie Scheffler, who is +380 to successfully defend his title.

Here's a look at the early odds for the Masters Tournament 2025 (via CBS):

Scottie Scheffler: +380
Rory McIlroy: +700
Ludvig Aberg: +1500
Jon Rahm: +1500
Collin Morikawa: +1700
Bryson DeChambeau: +1700
Xander Schauffele: +2100
Hideki Matsuyama: +2400
Justin Thomas: +2100
Tyrrell Hatton: +3100
Brooks Koepka: +3100
Patrick Cantlay: +3200
Cameron Smith: +3600
Shane Lowry: +3600
Will Zalatoris: +3800
Jordan Spieth: +3800
Viktor Hovland: +4400
Tommy Fleetwood: +4800
Joaquin Niemann: +5000
Dustin Johnson: +5500
Matt Fitzpatrick: +5500
Russell Henley: +6000
Cameron Young: +6000
Tony Finau: +6500
Sahith Theegala: +7000
Tom Kim: +7000
Wyndham Clark: +7500
Sungjae Im: +7500
Corey Conners: +7500
Max Homa: +7500
Sam Burns: +7500
Jason Day: +7500
Robert MacIntyre: +7500

About the author

Shobhit is one of Sportskeeda’s most seasoned golf journalists, having already authored 3600+ articles and received nearly 5.7 million reads. Prior to his current role, he worked with the Asiana Times after completing his MSc in Geology, giving him a solid foundation in understanding the terrain, variety and challenges posed by various golf courses.

He is a keen follower of the sport and keeps himself updated about the latest trends, news and updates via social media and various news platforms. Shobhit is also methodical about accuracy, going through multiple articles from leading media houses and reputed sources before writing his own. Simultaneously, he specializes in writing reader-friendly content that conveys the necessary information in simple language.

Shobhit was a fan of Tiger Woods growing up, but of late, Nelly Korda, Scottie Scheffler and Ludvig Aberg have caught his attention.

He likes to spend his downtime singing and writing, while he is also an avid watcher of cricket and tennis.

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Edited by Shobhit Kukreti