Masters Countdown Begins Amid McIlroy Menu Controversy and Fox's Agony
The Valspar Championship is currently underway in Florida, but the golfing world's attention is increasingly shifting toward the hallowed grounds of Augusta National. With the Masters tournament rapidly approaching in early April, defending champion Rory McIlroy has opted to skip this weekend's action to focus entirely on his title defence.
Stars Skip Valspar to Manage Workload Before Augusta
This weekend's Valspar Championship has been bypassed by several top players who are reportedly managing their schedules ahead of the season's first major. Alongside McIlroy, other notable absentees include recent Players Championship winner Cam Young, world number one Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, and Robert MacIntyre. The tournament was won last year by Viktor Hovland, who returns to defend his title.
The PGA Tour schedule now moves from Florida to Texas for the Houston Open and Texas Open, serving as the final tune-up events before golf's elite converge on Augusta National for the Masters. McIlroy's victory there twelve months ago marked a career-defining moment, and his preparation is being closely watched.
Ryan Fox's Agonising Kidney Stone Ordeal
New Zealand professional Ryan Fox has revealed the shocking medical emergency that forced his withdrawal from last week's Players Championship. The 39-year-old was preparing for the tournament when he experienced sudden, intense pain.
"Basically, as soon as I got to the toilet, I knew it wasn't for the toilet," Fox told the Herald. "It was one side and pretty intense and yeah, kidney stones. It went from zero to 100 pretty quick there. I was screaming on the floor and saying a few words that I can't repeat."
Fox attempted to continue but was eventually hospitalised and required surgical intervention. "They said, 'Okay, at this point you're not going to pass it, we've got to do the procedure and break it up with some lasers and put a stent in for the inflammation,'" he explained. "From 2pm Wednesday afternoon until about 2pm Thursday after the operation, it wasn't a real fun 24 hours there."
ESPN Analyst Criticises McIlroy's Masters Menu Selection
As McIlroy prepares to host the traditional Champions Dinner at Augusta National, his menu choices have come under unexpected scrutiny. The defending champion will offer twelve items ranging from rock-shrimp tempura appetisers to filet mignon or seared salmon main courses.
However, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky has taken particular issue with one selection: peach-and-ricotta flatbread. On SportsCenter, Orlovsky expressed his culinary preferences: "Here's my problem with people in the food world. Just make a good cheese pizza flatbread. It doesn't have to be peaches and ricotta. I've got a lot of love for Rory. I'm a huge Rory fan. I love Rory. But peach and ricotta? Just give me a good cheese pizza!"
Mickelson's Advice Proved Crucial for McIlroy's Augusta Success
McIlroy has this week revealed how advice from six-time major champion Phil Mickelson helped transform his approach to Augusta National. The Northern Irishman recalled a practice round conversation from approximately fifteen years ago that fundamentally changed his mindset.
"I always remember he said to me, 'Rory, one of the reasons I love Augusta National is because I feel I can be so aggressive here,'" McIlroy admitted. "I remember thinking, 'What does he mean?' I feel the opposite. I feel I can't be aggressive here because there's so many bad places to miss."
McIlroy explained how Mickelson's confidence in his short game allowed for aggressive approach play: "Phil had so much - still has, probably, so much faith in his short game that if he does miss an approach shot by being aggressive, he still feels he can get that ball up-and-down."
The 36-year-old credits improvements in his putting and short game with enabling him to adopt Mickelson's aggressive philosophy at Augusta, which ultimately contributed to his 2025 Masters victory. As he prepares to defend his title, McIlroy will be hoping this mindset continues to serve him well on golf's most prestigious stage.
