McIlroy eyes Masters defence with healthy body, hungry mind and a good wine list

March 18 : Rory McIlroy will return to Augusta National next month as reigning Masters champion, still relishing every moment of a title that took him over a decade to win and with a meticulously planned menu for the Champions Dinner.

The world number two became the sixth male golfer, and the first European, to complete the career Grand Slam when he beat Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff at Augusta last April, ending an 11-year wait for his fifth major and the Green Jacket that had so long eluded him.

"Defending the Masters Tournament is a pretty rare feat," the 36-year-old Northern Irishman told reporters on Wednesday, "and it's something that I would love to do."

He described the morning after his victory as unparalleled in his career. "I woke up and I just had to make sure that it wasn't a dream, people talk about those pinch-me moments and it really was like, 'did that really happen?'"

"I talk about the morning after getting the world number one and having this sort of empty feeling, I didn't have that with this. It just made me feel incredibly grateful for everything that's happened in my life," he added.

McIlroy's preparation for this year's event was disrupted when a back injury forced him to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this month, but the Northern Irishman confirmed the issue was now resolved.

"I'm really pleased with how my body responded to that little setback," he said, adding that he planned to put in some work over the next few weeks before making further trips to Augusta National.

MENU BLENDS FAMILY AND FINE DINING

McIlroy, as host of the annual Champions Dinner, is crafting a menu that blends elements of his personal experiences with high-end cuisine.

The first course comes straight