It’s fair to say that Johnson Wagner was served a healthy portion of humble pie after his disparaging comments about Rory McIlroy before THE PLAYERS Championship. As Wagner expressed doubts about McIlroy’s chances during an interview on the 5 Clubs YouTube podcast, little did he know that the Northern Irish golfer would go on to win his second PLAYERS title.
Wagner’s skepticism was not unfounded. McIlroy, despite an impressive start to the season with a win at Pebble Beach, was not considered a favorite at TPC Sawgrass. Many were rooting for Scottie Scheffler, the number one golfer who had retained the PGA Tour’s flagship title in 2024. Unfortunately, Scheffler’s form had been shaky since his return at Pebble Beach, and he ended up finishing at T20, eight strokes off the top at TPC Sawgrass.
Despite Wagner’s reservations, McIlroy’s performance was nothing short of stunning. One particular shot that stood out was his 9-iron on the 17th hole, which Wagner later praised as one of the best shots of the entire week. Despite McIlroy using what some considered the ‘wrong’ iron for the hole, his ball landed safely on the green, while J.J. Spaun, who opted for an 8-iron, overshot.
Wagner’s initial criticism of McIlroy may have been influenced by his disagreement with McIlroy’s stance on the PIF-PGA Tour merger. The 28x PGA Tour winner had voiced his opposition to the merger, leading Wagner to express his disappointment. However, following McIlroy’s impressive performance, Wagner was quick to retract his previous statements.
Having proven his doubters wrong, McIlroy is already setting his sights on the next big challenge: the Masters. Despite having some top 10 finishes and even finishing as a runner-up, the coveted Green Jacket has always eluded him. But with two titles already under his belt this year, McIlroy is entering Augusta National in top form.
Reports suggest that he plans to play one of the events in Texas before the Masters. With the field for the Valspar Championship 2025 already announced, McIlroy’s choices are down to the Houston Texas or the Valero Texas Open. Having participated in both tournaments previously, it will be intriguing to see which one he goes for.
With his recent victory at the PLAYERS Championship, McIlroy has certainly silenced some of his critics. But the question remains, can he finally clinch the Masters Tournament this year? Only time will tell.
