When Rory McIlroy has played his final round of competitive golf, likely several decades from now, there will be no shortage of highlights to look back on.
We already know they will include at least two Players Championship titles, Ryder Cup glory, and victories at the PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open.
However, even with so much time still to come in his career, it would have to be something very special indeed if completing the career Grand Slam at The Masters in 2025 isn’t at the top of the list.
While the history books will show that McIlroy finally got to wear the Green Jacket for the first time after his 17th appearance at Augusta National, it doesn’t tell anything like the full story of his Masters career.
The Northern Irishman made his maiden Masters appearance in 2009, two years after turning professional. Even at that early stage, his talent was evident as he placed T20 in a highly creditable debut performance.
Rory McIlroy made his Masters debut in 2009
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In 2010, McIlroy had what would turn out to be a rare failure at the Georgia layout, which most observers agree suits his game perfectly, when he missed the cut following rounds of 74 and 77, but a year later, that looked little more than a blip as he led by four going into the final round.
Fate had other ideas, though, with McIlroy suffering a disastrous capitulation that resulted in an 80 and finishing 15th.
Rory McIlroy’s chances slipped away with a disastrous final round in 2011
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Perhaps the demons of that lingered 12 months later, because, after solid rounds of 71 and 69 to reach the halfway stage of the 2012 Masters tied for third, he endured another unraveling, albeit not nearly as spectacular as a year earlier, ultimately placing in a tie for 40th.
A year later, there was more disappointment when any hopes McIlroy had of claiming the Green Jacket fell apart with a 79 in the third round, before he recovered with a 69 to finish T25 as Adam Scott won.
If the first five years of McIlroy’s Masters career had been mixed, to say the least, he was about to find a run of impressive consistency that suggested victory ought to be his one day.
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