Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley believes Rory McIlroy might have to finish his main drought away from The Masters to assist his probabilities of competing the profession Grand Slam.
McIlroy has been unable so as to add to his 4 main titles since his 2014 PGA Championship success, regardless of having 21 main prime 10s throughout that spell and persevering with to commonly win titles on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
The world No 2 has already gained twice on the PGA Tour in 2025 and is among the many favourites once more for the opening main of the 12 months, dwell from Thursday on Sky Sports activities, with The Masters the elusive main required to develop into the sixth participant to finish the Grand Slam within the fashionable period.
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Six-time main champion Nick Faldo offers his tackle whether or not McIlroy can lastly finish his main drought and declare the elusive Grand Slam at The Masters
McIlroy has posted top-eight finishes in eight of his final 12 main appearances, together with a second to Scottie Scheffler at Augusta Nationwide in 2022 and being runner-up in his final two US Opens, with the Northern Irishman going through rising expectation so as to add to his tally.
“Eleven years is a hell of a very long time for a participant of his high quality,” McGinley mentioned in a pre-tournament media name. “What number of gamers from again in 2014 are nonetheless proper on the very prime of the world rankings, and even anyplace within the prime 10 on the earth rankings?
“The endurance that he is bought, the sustainability over that time frame, has been completely phenomenal. Clearly, the large miss just isn’t having a significant.
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Can McIlroy full a profession Grand Slam at The Masters this 12 months? Watch all of the motion dwell from Thursday on Sky Sports activities Golf
“I personally imagine it could possibly be a stepping stone right here, and profitable one other main first might be the trail that he wants with a purpose to win right here at Augusta.
“Going into the primary main of the 12 months and all the eye that comes with being at Augusta Nationwide, on prime of making an attempt to win your first main in 11 years, on prime of making an attempt to finish the Grand Slam, is loads.
“Perhaps there is a stepping stone wanted first and that might be to knock off one of many three majors earlier than he is available in right here with that query taken care of.”
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Wayne Riley appears forward to The Masters and whether or not McIlroy might full a profession Grand Slam, following his win at The Gamers
This 12 months’s occasion is McIlroy’s seventeenth consecutive look at Augusta Nationwide, the place he famously squandered a four-shot lead through the remaining spherical of the 2011 contest and has completed inside the highest 10 in seven of the final 11 years.
Tiger Woods has beforehand mentioned that McIlroy finishing the Grand Slam will “positively occur” sooner or later, though McGinley warns that – as a lot as he has a terrific alternative – it’s removed from sure.
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5-time Masters winner Tiger Woods mentioned in 2024 that there’s ‘no query’ McIlroy will win The Masters sooner or later in his profession
“No one has a proper to win The Masters and we have seen phenomenal gamers come and go and never win there,” McGinley added. “I can consider Ernie Els in addition to Greg Norman, who had video games and skillsets that you simply assume could be appropriate to win round there.
“If he (McIlroy) would not win a Masters, it is nonetheless an outstanding profession that he is had. Sure, it might have been a disgrace that he did not win the Grand Slam, as a result of that is the elite of the elite.
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Watch each shot from McIlroy’s report equalling 64 from the ultimate spherical of the 2022 Masters, serving to him end runner-up to Scottie Scheffler
“Build up with one other two or three could be nice, however to be in that elite six is one thing particular. To knock off and cope with the stress of being that sixth particular person and the stress to win at Augusta is hard. It is an enormous quantity on anyone’s shoulders. It’s a chance, but it surely’s not a given.
“Present me a golfer on the earth that would not wish to be in Rory McIlroy’s footwear having to cope with it?! You simply need the chance to cope with it and the problem of getting the opportunity of that taking place to you. It is nice footwear to be in.”
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McIlroy heads into The Masters prime of the PGA Tour’s FedExCup standings
Issues going McIlroy’s means for The Masters?
McIlroy adopted his season-opening victory on the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am with a play-off victory at The Gamers, with that early success – alongside with sluggish begins to the season by a lot of his anticipated challengers – protecting McGinley upbeat concerning the 35-year-old’s possibilities.
“With out making an attempt to pile an excessive amount of stress on Rory on already what’s there, there’s a few issues lining up at this second in time,” McGinley admitted. “However they’ve lined up prior to now, keep in mind, too, and issues have not labored out for him.
“Not solely do you’ve Rory profitable two of the largest occasions to this point on the PGA Tour, the truth that he has additionally gained it along with his ‘B’ recreation, that is new. That is an evolution of Rory McIlroy and that is completely different than what we have seen earlier than.
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Highlights from the Monday play-of at The Gamers, the place McIlroy defeated JJ Spaun to say his second profession win at TPC Sawgrass
“I believe the second could be that his best adversaries, the blokes you’ll anticipate to be actually difficult right here, are barely off their recreation, and none of them are displaying an enormous quantity of type.
“The largest problem for Rory is the psychological one. I do know that Bob Rotella has been an enormous affect on him within the final 18 months, and I believe he’ll have him very effectively ready now. This isn’t the primary rodeo going into the Masters working collectively, they’ve had two or three runs at this now.
“Two or three of these issues all colliding collectively will get me just a little bit buoyed. I am not going to say over-buoyed, and I am definitely not going to say giddy, however just a little bit buoyed that he does have a robust likelihood this 12 months compared to different years.”
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Wayne Riley appears forward to The Masters and whether or not McIlroy might full a profession Grand Slam, following his win at The Gamers
When is The Masters dwell on Sky Sports activities?
Sky Sports activities Golf might be displaying report hours of dwell protection from the 2025 contest, the place Scheffler returns as defending champion, together with extra motion over the ultimate two rounds than earlier years.
Wall-to-wall protection from the match begins at 2pm on Thursday, with Featured Group motion and common updates from across the course obtainable to take pleasure in on Sky Sports activities Golf till the worldwide broadcast window begins at 8pm.
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Highlights from the ultimate spherical of The Masters in 2024, the place Scottie Scheffler claimed the Inexperienced Jacket at Augusta Nationwide
The identical timings will apply on Friday, whereas a brand new addition to this 12 months’s protection sees a Masters build-up present dwell from 3pm over the weekend forward of full protection beginning at 5pm, overlaying all of the motion till after the shut of play.
On Sky Sports activities+, Sky Q and Sky Glass there may also be a lot of further motion, offering loads of bonus feeds and permitting you to observe gamers’ progress via varied elements of Augusta’s well-known format.
Who will win The Masters? Watch from April 10-13 dwell on Sky Sports activities. Reside protection of the opening spherical begins with Featured Teams on Thursday April 10, from 2pm on Sky Sports activities Golf. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
