Rory McIlroy has been dreaming of completing the career Grand Slam since he was eight years old, with this year’s trip to The Masters potentially his best chance yet to make his childhood ambitions a reality.
McIlroy has battled the Grand Slam question annually since his 2014 PGA Championship success, with the world No 2 arriving at Augusta National as his wait for an elusive fifth major victory enters an 11th season.
The 35-year-old has 21 top-10 finishes in majors over the last decade without reaching the winner’s circle, but two early-season victories on the PGA Tour in 2025 have raised hopes about McIlroy’s chances of securing the Green Jacket.
McIlroy suggests the only thing missing in his career is a Masters win and believes he is better equipped than ever
McIlroy followed his victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am by winning The Players, a fifth worldwide title in 14 months, with his form and consistency in recent seasons giving him confidence of impressing at Augusta National.
“I feel like I’m better equipped than I ever have been to challenge this golf course,” McIlroy told Sky Sports.
“I’ve made a real conscious effort this year to really be diligent with my course management and sort of how I’m strategically trying to plot my way around the golf course.
“I’ve putted well this year, my around-the-green game has been really good. Every aspect of my game has been really, really solid, so I think putting all those things together this week is obviously the formula to getting the job done.”
McIlroy explains his recent work with renowned golf psychologist Dr Bob Rotella and suggests he treats The Masters like any other tournament
Fast start essential for McIlroy?
The Northern Irishman has traditionally been a slow starter at Augusta National, only carding a sub-70 round twice in his 16 appearances and failing to open with back-to-back under-par rounds since 2018.
McIlroy fired a seven-under 65 to grab a share of the lead in 2011, the year he famously squandered a four-shot advantage on the final day to miss out on a maiden major title, but he has failed to get within three strokes of the lead after any opening round since.
Six-time major champion Nick Faldo gives his take on whether McIlroy can finally end his major drought and claim the elusive Grand Slam at The Masters
His scoring average in opening rounds at The Masters is 71.7, which is nearly 3.5 strokes worse than those who have gone on to win the Green Jacket since his debut in 2009, while he has not been inside the top 10 following the opening round in any of the last six years.
A good start has been vital in recent men’s majors, with each of the last six winners in the top four after the opening round and all of the last five Masters champions in the top three following round one.
McIlroy is a combined 14 over for the first two days at The Masters and then 22 under for the weekend. If he can undo that early-round hoodoo and start Friday morning on the top page of the leaderboard, then excitement over his Grand Slam hopes will only increase.
“I go back to when I was eight years old, someone said – it’s on video somewhere – ‘what do you want to what do when you’re older?,” McIlroy explained.
“I said ‘I want to be the best player in the world and I want to win all the majors’, and I’ve done pretty much all those things apart from this one.
“It’s just trying to fulfil a boyhood dream that I’ve always had and trying to make that eight or nine-year-old Rory proud of what he’s been able to achieve and what he’s been able to get out of the game of golf.”
Jamie Weir looks back on golf’s small list of five career Grand Slam winners and discusses whether McIlroy can add his name to the list
Will McIlroy avoid Grand Slam distractions?
McIlroy has spent time working with long-time coach Michael Bannon and had treatment on a minor elbow issue since his last start, a tied-fifth finish at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, plus made two scouting missions to Augusta National.
He has dominated media attention in recent days as he looks to become just the sixth player in the modern era to win all four major titles, although McIlroy appeared noticeably more relaxed and focused in his pre-tournament media duties than 12 months ago.
McIlroy revealed he has been watching Bridgerton and reading a John Grisham novel this week to switch off from the golf, with his focus instead on building on his impressive start to the season and ignoring the attention on him.
“I’ve always been good with distraction more than anything else,” he added. “Whether it be TV shows or books and not watching TV and literally just getting into my own little bubble of the world for the week, is the best way for me to block out that noise and the narratives.
“I know that it’s there but the less I can look at it and the less I can see it and the less I can hear, the better it’s going to be for me on the golf course.”
Take a look at some of McIlroy’s best and worst moments at Augusta National
When is The Masters live on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports Golf will be showing record hours of live coverage from the 2025 contest, including more action over the final two rounds than previous years. Wall-to-wall coverage from the tournament begins at 2pm on Thursday, with Featured Group action and regular updates until the global broadcast window begins at 8pm.
The same timings will apply on Friday, while a new addition to this year’s coverage sees a Masters build-up show live from 3pm over the weekend ahead of full coverage starting at 5pm, covering all the action until after the close of play.
Sky+, Sky Q and Sky Glass will provide plenty of bonus feeds and allow you to follow players’ progress through various parts of Augusta’s famous layout, including Amen Corner and more.
Who will win The Masters? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the opening round begins with Featured Groups on Thursday from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
