Rory McIlroy left Augusta National with more than memories after sealing his career grand slam at the Masters, beating Justin Rose on the first playoff hole to don the green jacket. The Masters Shop ended the tournament with 1,100 pin flags still in stock, and McIlroy revealed he took every one of them home with plans to sign his name inside the Masters logo—a tradition reserved for Masters champions.
Ahead of the Tour Championship, McIlroy spoke about the long-running ritual of autographing flags. “It’s been a lot,” he said, reflecting on the workload of signing countless flags. “But I’ll never get sick of signing them. I’ve waited 17 years to sign that flag in the middle, and I will never complain about doing it.” He also suggested the time spent signing might even rival the time he spends wearing the green jacket, though that hasn’t quite become the norm yet. “I’m reluctant to wear it,” he admitted. “It’s not as if I wear it a lot. I have it hanging in my wardrobe in a place where I can see it every day. I always thought if I had one — if I did win the Masters one day — I’d never have the thing off, and it hasn’t been that way. I haven’t worn it as much as I thought I would.”
Since his Masters triumph, McIlroy’s form has been uneven. His best result recently came at the Scottish Open, where he finished tied for second, but he missed the Canadian Open cut in June and finished tied for 47th at the PGA Championship in May. Nevertheless, he enters the Tour Championship as one of the top favorites, alongside Scottie Scheffler. McIlroy sits among the front-runners at 17/2, while Scheffler is listed at 3/2, and the two will start together in the top pairing when play begins at 2:00 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The Masters win and the accompanying flag-signing ritual underscore McIlroy’s enduring quest for more major titles and a continued climb toward FedExCup success, even as he navigates a season of highs and lows. Fans will be watching to see if he can translate Masters momentum into a strong run at East Lake and beyond.