From Rory McIlroy’s return to Northern Ireland to Gary Woodland’s emotional road back, ESPN’s Masters Week coverage featured a strong lineup of original storytelling across SportsCenter, SC Featured and ESPN’s golf coverage.
Reported by Marty Smith, Jeff Darlington and Jen Lada, the pieces explored legacy, resilience, near-misses, local history and full-circle moments surrounding one of golf’s most iconic weeks.
“RORY’S ROOTS”
When McIlroy finally captured the Masters last April, the emotional journey stretched far beyond Augusta National. In this SC Featured, Smith travels to Hollywood, Northern Ireland, to explore the hometown pride and deep roots behind McIlroy’s long-awaited Green Jacket and career Grand Slam.
Producer: Chris Duzan
“RORY MCILROY CONVERSATION”
The 2025 Masters champion sits down with Smith to relive his historic final round from last year’s victory and reflect on what feels different now as he returns to Magnolia Lane as a Masters champion.
Producer: Duzan
“THE ROAD BACK: GARY WOODLAND”
Darlington tells the story of Woodland’s remarkable return following a brain lesion that nearly cost him his life. Woodland opens up about the PTSD he has endured in the years since and the emotion behind his recent victory — his first since 2019.
Producer: Jen Chafitz
“FINALLY: TOMMY FLEETWOOD”
After years of close calls and more than 30 top-five finishes, Fleetwood finally broke through with a PGA Tour win last August. Smith examines the mental approach that helped Fleetwood stay the course through heartbreak and remain one of the game’s most respected players.
Producer: Chafitz
“A PROMISE REALIZED”
A decade after a childhood encounter with McIlroy, U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell is living out the dream he declared as an eight-year-old: playing in the Masters alongside his idol. Lada shares the full-circle story of one of the tournament’s youngest competitors.
Producer: Tory Roy
“THE PATCH”
Just down the road from Augusta National sits Augusta Municipal Golf Course — affectionately known as “The Patch.” Darlington explores the storied history of the course, once known as a gathering place for Black caddies in the 1970s and 1980s, and its new chapter following a major renovation.
Producer: Val Figueira
“CLOSE CALLS: JUSTIN ROSE”
Rose is the only player in Masters history to lose in a playoff twice without winning the Green Jacket. Darlington sits down with Rose and his caddie, Mark “Fooch” Fulcher, to reflect on those near-misses and the lessons that came with them.
Producer: Jose Alvarez
“THE MISSING MASTERS”
For the first time in three decades, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are not part of the Masters field. In this essay, Darlington reflects on the passage of time and the noticeable shift at Augusta without two of the defining figures of the modern era.
Producer: Gus Pfisterer
