There is a sense of inevitability with Rory McIlroy this season. Whenever there has been cause to write him off, he turns a gear and vaults himself into contention. Take the Houston Open, for example. The 4-time Major winner was nowhere near the top of the pile after day 1, but he ended up finishing a remarkable T5 when all the things were said and done. This is what makes him dangerous. That is also what makes him a strong contender to complete his career Grand Slam. For McIlroy, it’s all mental!
Brandel Chamblee thinks that the Masters do not bring the best out in McIlroy, but still thinks “There has never been a better week for him to win the Masters, never.” Referring to Masters as “literally his nemesis,” he said, “It brings out the worst golf in Rory annually that we see.” Missed the cut in 2023, and then a T22 finish in 2024 proves that. Even Jack Nicklaus thinks along similar lines.
Nicklaus thinks it’s just a matter of McIlroy believing in himself. “I still firmly believe that Rory will win the Masters; he’s just too good not to. You just gotta get him out of himself. You know that’s the problem,” he said at the 5 Club podcast, earlier this year. The latest one to double down on McIlroy’s mental roadback, and how it can encourage him, is Paul McGinley.
Speaking on the 5 Clubs podcast, McGinley feels that McIlroy will have a very good chance to win his first-ever green jacket this year. For that, McIlroy needs to channel his inner demon. “When Rory is in that kind of pissed off mode, I think that’s when he is at his best. When he’s like ‘I have got a point to prove. People are ruling him out and criticizing him and he has got a fire in his belly about going out to prove something,” McGinley explained.
Remember, the PLAYERS Championship? When the NCAA golfer, Luke Potter, heckled him after a wayward shot during the practice round. “Just like the 2011 at Augusta,” he had screamed. After his next shot, the Northern Irish golfer calmly walked to the golfer, took his phone, and just walked away. While the whole thing was sorted after apologies from the golfer, McIlroy refused to answer any questions regarding the incident after the rounds and ended up winning the signature event for a second time in his career, marking it as his second win in a season before the ANGC Showdown.
“I do really think that he is getting closer. I do think that he is becoming more of a rounded golfer.” McGinley stated. Rory McIlroy had recently started working with a psychologist, Bob Rotella. Rotella is renowned in the world of golf, and McIlroy seems to leave no stone unturned in his bid to clinch the green jacket this year. Last week, McGinley praised what the coach has done with the Irish star: “I know that Bob Rotella has been a huge influence on him in the last 18 months, and I think he’ll have him very well-prepared now.”
Rory McIlroy working with Rotella shows readiness to end majors drought, says Paul McGinley https://t.co/izCyQrFFk2
— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) April 8, 2025
With Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele coming back from hiatus due to injuries, McIlroy has seemingly taken the baton of being the most feared golfer on the Tour. He has been ruthless this season. “Winning two of the biggest events on the PGA Tour this year will buoy him with a bit of confidence. So he is going in here with a bit of an edge.” McGinley added.
McIlroy’s Masters curse has been a severely discussed topic. The underlying question will be whether he can break it this year when he is undoubtedly the clear number one on the field.
Rory McIlroy’s Masters curse
McIlroy is appearing at his 17th Masters Tournament, and it continues to be elusive for the Northern Irish golfer despite being one of the more decorated golfers on the PGA Tour. 2011 was supposed to be McIlroy’s year, but the last day of Augusta proved to be cumbersome for the golfer. He was leading the pack with a score of 12 under par at the end of day 3.
However, McIlroy choked during the last day, scoring an 8 over par to finish T15. A disappointing end to what could have been a legendary tournament. His next closest outing at Augusta came in 2022, where he did a massive recovery job on the fourth day, going 8 under par on a day where most other golfers struggled. However, he missed out on the victory by three strokes to Scottie Scheffler. If even one of the first three days had yielded a positive result, McIlroy could have won his first green jacket then.
Anyways, McIlroy is heading to Augusta in the most stable form of his life. He has participated in 5 PGA Tour events this season and has finished in the top 20 at all events, winning 2 of them. He also leads the FedEx points list for the season. Do you think the Northern Irish golfer can achieve his career Grand Slam by winning the Masters this year?
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