Rory McIlroy continues to etch his name into golf history. At the 2026 Masters, the 36-year-old Northern Irishman accomplished something only three legends before him have achieved: winning back-to-back green jackets at Augusta National. He now stands alongside Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Nick Faldo in that exclusive club.

But McIlroy didn't make that historic run alone. Behind the scenes, he had an unexpected source of motivation—tennis icon Rafael Nadal. The Spanish superstar, known for his own legendary career and well-documented love of golf, was cheering McIlroy on every step of the way.

Speaking at the Laureus Awards, where he received the Comeback of the Year honor, McIlroy opened up about Nadal's support during the Masters. "To have his support… he'd leave me little voice notes at the end of every day," McIlroy shared. "It's really cool when you have one of the absolute legends of sport cheering you on like that. And him knowing what it feels like to be in that position—that's really cool."

Nadal has long been open about his passion for golf, once even suggesting that if not for injuries, he might have pursued it professionally. Today, he channels that love into his academy in Spain, where promising young players develop their game before hitting the major tours.

McIlroy also touched on the deep connection between golf and tennis, two sports that demand immense mental fortitude. "You're really out there on your own. You have to figure it out by yourself. And I think both games mentally are very, very taxing and challenging in their own ways," he explained. "Rafa and Roger have now retired. Novak is not retired, but certainly getting to the latter stages of his career. And we were all wondering, 'who is next?' Then you have these two guys in Carlos and Jannik that have come along."

As for a potential round of golf with world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz? McIlroy smiled: "Not yet. I got to meet him at the U.S. Open last year, and I know he's really loving his golf and playing quite a lot. I think he plays any day he has off during a tournament, so hopefully one day we'll get a round in."