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Lakers’ JJ Redick takes lessons from Rory McIlroy’s Masters Tournament win

April 13, 2026

LOS ANGELES — Ten minutes had gone by, and the seat behind the Laker press conference podium remained dormant.

Reporters up and down the rows of chairs were glued to their phones and computers, keeping an eye on Augusta National and the final moments of the Masters Tournament.

Rory McIlroy faded his tee shot into the pine straw, forcing a dramatic finish for his second consecutive Masters Tournament, in which the Northern Irish golfer pressed his luck on the final holes.

McIlroy would go to weave the ball through the trees, scoop the ball out of a bunker and put twice for bogey to become just the fourth golfer in history to win consecutive Masters (the first since Tiger Woods in 2001-2002) and slip the green jacket back over his shoulders.

Moments after McIlroy’s putt on the 18th hole sank, Redick entered the press conference room to assorted laughter.

They were watching golf. And so was he.

“I would have been here earlier,” Redick said as he sat down, “but Rory hit it in the trees.”

Golf has become a uniter for the Lakers throughout their roller coaster regular-season campaign, which will come to a close on Sunday. LeBron James picked up golf for the first time at 40, a promise to himself to do something he’d never done in his life before, he said earlier this season.

“I love the sport,” James said a few weeks ago. “I appreciate the sport. I love how difficult it is. I love the challenge.”

His son, Bronny James, has followed his dad onto the greens. Luke Kennard and Jake LaRavia enjoy golfing as well, joining the father-son duo alongside Luka Doncic – also a newfound golfer – in Orlando for a coaches vs. players scramble in March.

Redick said that watching McIlroy this time around, compared to his first Masters victory last year after the major had evaded him time and time again, was a different experience. The Lakers’ head coach said he had been rooting for McIlroy last year, cheering him on to see him finally earn the jacket.

On Sunday, Redick said, he was curious to see how McIlroy was handling his shots, especially on the 18th hole.

“How do you manage, or you failed on the tee shot?” Redick said. “It’s not where he wanted to be. And how do you manage that next shot? And obviously, everybody knows I’m an avid golfer. I love golf. I’m the biggest head case on the golf course in the world.”

McIlroy maneuvered his way to a bogey finish. Staying within himself to keep composure on his final putts. Redick said that he learns from watching golf and athletes such as McIlroy, comparing those moments to the world around him.

“It’s been awesome for me because I think there’s so many parallels to life and there’s so many parallels to every other sport within the game of golf and I just wanted to see how Rory sort of managed that,” Redick said.

Orange County Register

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Lakers’ JJ Redick takes lessons from Rory McIlroy’s Masters Tournament win

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