If Rory McIlroy finally pulls on that elusive green jacket this Sunday at Augusta National, it might just be because of a little magic from the smallest McIlroy on the course — his daughter, Poppy.
During the beloved Par-3 Contest on Wednesday, the four-time major winner swapped intense focus for light-hearted family vibes, strolling Augusta’s iconic short course with his wife Erica and their four-year-old daughter. And it was little Poppy who absolutely stole the show.
On the ninth hole, with cameras flashing and spectators packed into every nook of the lush par-three playground, McIlroy and his close friend Shane Lowry offered Poppy the honors on a tricky 25-foot putt. A winding, snaking, Augusta-style rollercoaster of a green lay ahead. The advice was simple: just a gentle touch. What followed was pure cinematic magic.
Poppy gave the ball a soft nudge. The gallery leaned in. The ball curved left, then right, slowed… and then tracked dead center. Lowry threw his hands skyward before the ball even dropped. McIlroy froze — then leapt into the air like he’d just clinched the tournament.
The Augusta crowd erupted, disbelief and joy pouring across the fairway. And Poppy? Calm as ever. Overwhelmed, maybe, by the sudden roar of adoration — and adorably, she even left dad hanging on a high-five attempt before wrapping him in a hug instead.
It was a moment of levity and love that couldn’t have come at a better time for McIlroy, who openly admits that Masters week seems to grow heavier with pressure each passing year.
Speaking to ESPN, he said the Par-3 event is the perfect emotional reset: “It allows me to forget about all that for a couple of hours… I look forward to this day more and more each year.”
And this year? Maybe more than ever. McIlroy’s path to Augusta has been littered with both personal and professional hurdles. His major drought stretches 11 years, and 2024 nearly saw his marriage dissolve just days before the PGA Championship. But now, with reconciliation and a sense of calm restored, Rory and Erica appear more united — and more in sync — than ever.
Precious Poppy 🥰
@McIlroyRory‘s daughter brings the crowd to their feet after this putt on No. 9.pic.twitter.com/vYbhw0JDh0— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 9, 2025
It all sets the stage for what could be McIlroy’s most inspired Masters yet. Whether the spark came from a perfectly-read putt or the joy of sharing the game with his daughter, one thing’s for sure: Poppy McIlroy already made her mark at Augusta. Now it’s dad’s turn.
