Rory McIlroy: From Profession Grand Slam To A Calendar Slam - Can He Win All 4 Majors In 2025?

Rory McIlroy suffered by way of 10 barren years at main tournaments earlier than his gorgeous Masters triumph on Sunday clinched a profession Grand Slam – and instantly raised the query of what’s going to he obtain subsequent?

Dame Laura Davies stated within the rapid aftermath of McIlroy’s Augusta Nationwide win: “He would possibly win 5 – 6 extra majors now as he won’t ever really feel strain like that once more, making an attempt to get the Grand Slam.”

McIlroy, himself, talked of the burden that he had felt throughout his main winless streak and reduction appeared to one of many overriding feelings that got here by way of in his celebrations on the 18th inexperienced after his play-off win over Justin Rose.

“The monkey is off his again,” Sky Sports activities’ Andrew Coltart stated. “I believe we’ll begin to see the Rory McIlroy we at all times knew was in there however for the final 11 years has struggled to return out.”

So what may McIlroy go on to realize? And is it a practical prospect for him to observe up a profession Grand Slam by profitable a calendar 12 months one in 2025?

Subsequent month’s PGA Championship is being held at Quail Hole, a course he has received 4 instances on beforehand, on the PGA Tour, whereas the 2025 Open Championship this summer time returns to Royal Portrush and Northern Eire – McIlroy will probably be hotly fancied to win each.

“You’ll be able to’t win all 4 majors in a 12 months if you have not received the primary one,” McIlroy informed Sky Sports activities.

“The subsequent main is at Quail Hole, someplace I’ve beloved for probably the most a part of my profession, there’s The Open at [Royal] Portrush, the Ryder Cup at Bethpage.

“There’s a variety of golf left this 12 months. I’ve gotten off to an incredible begin, clearly, and I can not wait to maintain it going.”

Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley is one other to have lent his backing to the 35-year-old McIlroy, saying “I do not suppose he is executed profitable majors this 12 months”.

“I believe it is a totally different Rory, an evolution of Rory,” McGinley stated on the Golf Channel.

“There may be psychological resilience there which may not have been there. He is received methods, he digs deep, and he can win when he isn’t proper on it. He is on a path to possibly win extra.

“Now that he is climbed Everest, does he lose a bit of bit? If you attain one thing you’ve got desired a lot, you type of soften, however I do not suppose so. I believe he will maintain going.

“I’ve stated if he’ll win one main, he’ll win three or 4. I do not suppose he is executed profitable majors this 12 months. He is received some nice probabilities so as to add to it.”

Davies: ‘No query’ Rory will win PGA Championship

Upon ending his await a Inexperienced Jacket, McIlroy himself questioned what storyline would command the headlines through the build-up to subsequent 12 months’s Masters, having been positioned on the forefront of debate for over a decade.

With the childhood dream lastly ticked off, he has been backed to raise his recreation to a brand new calibre of domination. For Dame Laura Davies, that begins on the PGA Championship.

“He’ll win. I completely haven’t any query about it,” stated Davies on the Sky Sports activities Golf podcast. “He’ll be probably the most light-hearted. He’ll relish each press convention that he does.

“He loves the golf course. He has no fears now as a result of he does not have to consider I am by no means going to get the inexperienced jacket as a result of he is received it. All the pieces else from this level onwards is straightforward.

“Belief me. It is simply the way in which it is going to be. On the Open, essentially, I do not find out about that one. He had that horrible begin round Royal Port Rush. So whether or not that is going to hamper him spherical there, I do not know.”

Such has change into of the expectations surrounding one of many trendy {golfing} greats that an unthinkable same-season Grand Slam has been thrown into the pondering. Dare he dream of such a feat?

“I stated he’ll by no means play underneath that a lot strain once more that he did yesterday but when he really did that (win the primary three majors of the 12 months), I do not find out about whether or not he will have that probability, however then the strain’s again to the extent it was this week,” Davies continued.

“We’re speaking a few Grand Slam in a 12 months and I do not suppose it is going to occur. The subsequent one’s particular. I am not even going to argue about that however I simply suppose if it did occur then the strain is at that very same stage as we had yesterday.”

Dougherty: Expectations are greater

McIlroy soared to PGA Championship victory again in each 2012 and 2014 amongst seven prime 10 finishes round Quail Hole. He returns armed with the momentum of success at The Gamers Championship and now Augusta.

“I’ve at all times had an enormous quantity of religion that he was going to get throughout the road right here. I used to be getting a bit involved,” stated Sky Sports activities Golf’s Dougherty.

“Now he is damaged by way of that barrier, I’ve a a lot, a lot greater expectation for what he’ll do within the majors as a result of I assumed it was simply such a large burden and that golf course, I imply, it could not come at a greater time.

“Wind at his again, course he is had success at. PGA, there’s an excellent probability he snaps that one up.”

Did the floodgates to an all-conquering McIlroy simply open? {The golfing} world is about to seek out out.

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