Masters 2026: Rory McIlroy has been carrying a secret about his green jacket

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Well-informed golf fans know that only the reigning Masters champion gets to take his green jacket off property each April. It’s a privilege Rory McIlroy has certainly appreciated since slipping on the spoils of his victory a year ago.

During his press conference Tuesday at Augusta National, decked out in the same 38 regular that he received a year ago in Butler Cabin, McIlroy spoke lovingly of the garment he’ll now try to “win back” this week.

So special a memento has it been that McIlroy let out a little secret about his care and feeding of the jacket these past 12 months: he hasn’t had it cleaned since taking possession of it.

If that sounds a tad bit unsanitary, understand it’s not because Rory has questionable dressing habits. It’s actually the opposite.

“I'm afraid to,” he said when asked if he has had it dry cleaned or tailored. “I've tried to be very careful.”

Given all the places he took the green jacket in the past year—bringing it with him to compete in events in Australia, Dubai, Northern Ireland, India.

McIlroy will excitedly wear the jacket again on Tuesday night, as the guest of honor at the Champions Dinner. It’s an event McIlroy has been preparing for since late last year when he first started contemplating his menu.

“I'm quite a procrastinator, so I probably put it off for as long as possible until I actually really had to think about it, which was probably at the back end of last year, starting to think about how to put it together,” McIlroy said. “But it was a fun process to go through. I was trying to achieve something that I would enjoy but also something … and it ties back to experiences that I've had, but also wanted it to be something that all the other people in that room would enjoy as well.”

Noting that since the menu was revealed last month several people have asked why there wasn’t more of nod to his home country of Northern Ireland.

“People keep asking me why didn't you go more Irish?” McIlroy said, before offering a line that had the room laughing. “I said, because I want to enjoy the dinner as well.”