Niall Horan is a world-famous pop star to millions of people globally, but Horan self-identifies as a world-famous golf fan.
The former One Direction star became an annual staple at Augusta National — having attended The Masters every year since 2015, outside of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. In 2025, Horan caddied for Rory McIlroy for the Masters Par 3 Contest.
Before the first round of the 2026 Masters teed off on Thursday, Horan joined “Mornings @ The Masters” to talk about all things golf, including his friend and fellow Irishman and his pick to win the green jacket this year.
“Justin Rose is a good friend of mine, so I was very much torn,” Horan said of witnessing the 2025 Masters playoff between McIroy and Rose. “It was crazy, but I just think for Rory to complete the career grand slam was huge. To win his first green jacket after 17 attempts. I think we all know how heavy it had felt on his shoulders for all these years.”
Horan continued, “You always felt like he was giving you a different answer when you asked him about it over the years, but to see how relaxed this week sums up the burden that it had been on him for so long.”
Horan thinks it could finally be Rose’s year, saying, “I think Rosie’s gonna go well this week, so fingers crossed for him.”
McIlroy beat Rose in a sudden-death playoff to win the 2025 Masters, his first major tournament victory in 11 years. He became the sixth men’s golfer to achieve a career grand slam in history (via ESPN).
Meanwhile, Rose became the only player in Masters history to have lost twice in a playoff — the first time in 2017 to Sergio Garcia — without ever winning a Masters title in the process. Rose has three runner-up finishes in 20 Masters starts heading into this week.
Should McIroy win the 2026 Masters, he’ll be the first to win back-to-back Masters since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002 and the third ever to do it, according to Golf Channel. Jack Nicklaus won in 1965 and 1966, and Nick Faldo won in 1989 and 1990.
Find the 2026 Masters live leaderboard here.