Why Rory McIlroy brought extra putter to Masters, and why his old Nike ball is in another player’s bag

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Rory McIlroy brought one extra club to Augusta National this week: his daughter’s putter.

Poppy McIlroy, 5, garnered headlines at last year’s Masters Par 3 Contest by sinking a 25-foot putt on the ninth hole. Making the feat even more impressive, she did so using her dad’s flatstick.

“She is the most unbelievably polite and respectful and well-behaved little girl, and I really love that she started to get into the game a lot more, and it all stemmed from the putt last year at the Par 3,” McIlroy said. “She made sure that I brought her putter up this year so she could hit the putt with her putter and not mine. Yeah, that’s been amazing – and as well, just to see her grow up to have her travel the world to see different places, to give her a life that I could only dream about when I was that age, that’s been the coolest thing.”

And if he didn’t already feel old, the 36-year-old McIlroy will play the first two rounds alongside U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell, who is 18 and not even in college yet.

“Mason was born, what, 2005?” McIlroy asked before correcting himself. “No, 2008.” (Howell’s birthday is actually June 28, 2007.) He then shook his head.

Rory McIlroy’s more concerned about Champions Dinner speech than menu

The 36-year-old Northern Irishman designed this year’s Champions Dinner menu and wine list, as is the responsibility of the reigning champion. He’ll also speak to his fellow Masters winners.

• Marisa Marcellino
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• Marisa Marcellino
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“I just think about the time span,” McIlroy added. “That’s why our game is so incredible. I’ve been lucky that the people that I looked up to took me under their wing when I was starting off. … That’s the incredible thing about golf that not a lot of other sports have.”

Like Poppy McIlroy, Howell brought something extra special to the Masters. When Howell was 9 years old and attending the Tour Championship, McIlroy tossed him one of his golf balls. Howell has kept that ball in his room ever since, though this week, he’ll carry it in his golf bag.

He revealed he’s also planning a harmless prank for Thursday on the first tee.

“I’m going to say I’m going to play the first hole with a Nike – which I’m not,” Howell said, laughing. “It says RORS on the side. But that would be a power move. But, yeah, that’s kind of the plan. Hopefully, it doesn’t get back to him before Thursday.”