was slammed by Nick Faldo after agreeing to a walk-and-talk interview at the 2023 . The Northern Irishman has never won the title at Augusta and ended up missing the cut two years ago.

McIlroy returned to the course last year for another attempt at glory and fared a little better.

But he was never in the running for silverware as he eventually finished in joint 22nd place.

During the 2023 edition of the Masters, McIlroy was interviewed on the course as he was playing the ninth hole in the first round.

And Faldo questioned why the four-time Major winner had agreed to an interview rather than concentrating on his game.

"I didn't like it," the 67-year-old told last year. "I thought, 'You're kidding me. The Masters?' Sure, do that any other week. But why the Masters?

"I mean, that is one of the most beautiful things about the Masters. It's you and your caddie, just the two of you and the other players. That's all that's inside the ropes. That's what's so wonderful about that tournament.

"And to suddenly bring other people in? Because that's got to be organised, hasn't it? And this sort of thing, your manager is going to say to you before, 'Will you do this?'

"Gosh, no - you need 100 per cent concentration. Everybody would fully understand that.

"I don't think that there's anyone who would say, 'I think we should have a chat with a golfer in the middle of the Masters. It's going to be so much better.'

"Not the Masters or the Majors. Let the guys go and play and entertain that way. So no, I disagreed. I thought that was weird and wonderful."

While McIlroy opted for a media-friendly approach at Augusta, he chose to shun reporters after capitulating during the latter stages of the US Open last year as .

And after eventually facing the media following his return to action a few weeks later, he explained: "Maybe the one drawback from me not talking [to the media] afterwards was that you got three weeks of speculation.

'He should have done this, should have done that, but we will never know because he didn't say.'

"I trust the people around me. I don't need to go looking for external counsel. If the tournament ended after 68 holes, people would be calling me the best golfer in the world.

"You have to be an eternal optimist. Say you play 25 events a year and win three of those, you are one of the best players in history. We lose way more than we win."