For the first time since 1994, both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will miss the Masters, with Woods stepping away following a DUI arrest and Mickelson citing a family health matter. This absence leaves a significant void at the event, and defending champion Rory McIlroy finally broke his silence on that before the Championship dinner.

“Unfortunately, there will be a couple of guys that won’t be in that room, which is a shame. I want to make sure they are acknowledged as two of the greatest champions The Masters has ever seen,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy’s bond with both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson is rooted in a childhood obsession.

As a seven-year-old golf nerd, McIlroy famously watched every hole of Woods’ historic 1997 victory. Since turning professional in 2007, that idol-worship has evolved into a partnership. During the pandemic, the two paired up for the “TaylorMade Driving Relief,” a televised match in 2020. The two have become the primary faces of PGA Tour Enterprises.  They live near each other in Florida and founded  TMRW Sports and the tech-infused TGL league together.  And immediately after McIlroy completed his Grand Slam at Augusta last year, Woods, missed the event due to injury, sent a message: “Welcome to the club, kid”. Woods even later celebrated him publicly, stating, “Completing the Grand Slam at Augusta is something special… now you’re a part of history. Proud of you!”

And while the relationship with Phil Mickelson was strained by the LIV Golf divide, a fundamental respect remains. Roughly 15 years ago, the two played a practice round at Augusta that changed McIlroy’s career forever. Mickelson advised the young McIlroy that the secret to Augusta was controlled aggression. So when the Northern Irishman finally won his own title at the course, he credited this specific advice.

McIlroy currently serves as the steward of the tournament’s most exclusive tradition: The Masters Club (Champions Dinner). After outlasting Justin Rose in a dramatic first-hole playoff to finish his quest for the Grand Slam, McIlroy will lead the 2026 dinner as host, a role he has spent 11 years pursuing. And he will miss Woods and Mickelson because they were the ones who pushed him through his decade-long drought.

Woods and Mickelson account for eight green jackets, with Woods having five and Mickelson having three. So, McIlroy will not be the only one missing the two most iconic players of the 21st century; the whole Masters field and fans certainly miss them. Woods is currently on an indefinite hiatus to seek treatment for lasting recovery. And Mickelson withdrew just days before the 2026 event due to a ‘personal family health matter’ involving his wife, Amy. 

But despite the absentees, the excitement in Augusta is still more than ever

The Masters 2026 first round tee has only 3 days left. But before that, nearly 18 past champions are scheduled to enjoy the Champions Dinner, arranged and hosted by Rory McIlroy.  The menu, McIlroy decided, is a reflection of his journey.

It featured bacon-wrapped dates (his mother Rosie’s recipe) and grilled elk sliders. He also included yellowfin tuna carpaccio, a dish replicated from his favorite NYC restaurant, Le Bernardin, after Augusta’s chefs traveled to New York specifically to learn the recipe. The main course offers a choice of wagyu filet mignon or seared salmon, served with “Irish Champ”—scallion mashed potatoes he ate by the bowlful as a child.

The next day, the Par 3 Contest. The main attraction of the event is 8-year-old Frankie Fleetwood, son of World #4 Tommy Fleetwood. Frankie has become a media darling for his annual quest to clear the water at Ike’s Pond. After his shots drowned”in the pond in 2024 and 2025, Frankie has been practicing harder than ever, though his father jokingly admitted he is ‘unconvinced’ his son can carry the distance yet. 

Then comes the actual Master’s field that is surging with momentum. Bryson DeChambeau enters Augusta as perhaps the hottest player.  He won back-to-back events in Singapore and South Africa. His victory in South Africa was emotional and dramatic, as he held off a red-hot Jon Rahm, who fired a brilliant final-round 63 to force a playoff. Rahm himself is in peak form.

Adding to the excitement, a new wave of Continental and National Open winners have secured their first-ever invitations. This includes names like Tom McKibbin (Hong Kong Open), Chris Gotterup (Scottish Open), Marco Penge (Spanish Open), Naoyuki Kataoka (Japan Open), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Australian Open), and South Africa’s Casey Jarvis. Meanwhile, #1 Scottie Scheffler arrives with ‘new dad energy’ after the recent birth of his second son, named Remy.