Roy Keane has heaped praise on Rory McIlroy following his historic back-to-back Masters triumph, describing him as “one of the very best.”
Speaking on the latest episode of The Overlap, the former Manchester United captain said he was glued to the action as McIlroy secured his latest major title at Augusta National Golf Club.
“I am delighted for Rory. He is absolutely brilliant, one of the very best. I watched all of it. The mentality he has is amazing.”
McIlroy’s victory saw the Holywood, Co Down native claim his sixth major title and become the first player since Tiger Woods to successfully defend the Masters title, holding off a late charge from world number one Scottie Scheffler.
The win further cements McIlroy’s place among golf’s all-time greats, placing him alongside legends such as Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as one of the few players to retain the famous Green Jacket.
Every shot from Rory McIlroy's final round. #themasters pic.twitter.com/fvwWI4bkHJ
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2026
Keane expanded on his thoughts during the discussion, revealing he had been following the tournament closely from early on.
“Yeah, brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. You know what, I watched most of it, I really enjoyed it. I said to Wrighty on Friday…”
At that point, fellow pundit Ian Wright interjected, referencing previous on-air debates between the pair.
“He said to me, ‘It’s over,’ on the Friday. Honestly, starting all that bollocks with me again…”
Keane responded with a grin: “But was I right?!” — drawing laughter in the studio.
The conversation then turned to the mental resilience required to perform at the highest level, with Keane drawing comparisons between elite golf and football.
“You’re on about sport, I’d imagine golfers… you’re on about where Arsenal are at the moment, sports psychologists and all… the golfers’ emotional rollercoaster on a course.”
With input from Paul Scholes, Keane added:
“Put it this way, if you’re playing against these golfers — if I just get my act together, I’ll do him. It’s like a soccer team.”
His comments referenced Arsenal, who are currently struggling for consistency in their pursuit of the Premier League title, highlighting the contrast with McIlroy’s composure under pressure.
