Yet again, Rory McIlroy embarks on his 10th attempt, a venture that has been quite similar for Phil Mickelson in the US Open, and Jordan Spieth in the US PGA Championship. Every year brings along an air of expectation as they approach Augusta National down Magnity Lane, a journey steeped in the possibility of creating history.
The establishment of the Masters in 1934 brought about a new phase in professional golf. Before its inception, the traditional Grand Slam comprised of the Open, US Open, British Amateur and US Amateur, with only Bobby Jones having won them all. With the introduction of this new competition, four professional men’s Majors were created — US Open, US PGA, the Open, and lastly, the Masters. This new structure ushered in the concept of the modern Grand Slam, which entails winning all four Majors in a single year, a feat that has remained insurmountable.
However, this gave rise to the idea of a career Grand Slam. Noteworthy is the fact that only a handful of five golfers have achieved this prestigious feat. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods managed this grandiose achievement on multiple instances (three times) while Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player managed the feat once.
There are no guarantees for triumph at Augusta National, a fact that McIlroy, who lost a four-stroke advantage in the final round in 2011, is acutely aware of. But, back in 2008, the competency of a career Grand Slam was merely an aspiration. His victory in the 2014 Open at the Royal Liverpool, bearing addition to his US Open win in 2011 and US PGA in 2012, left just one podium to conquer to become the sixth player in golf history to claim the modern career Grand Slam.
Every visit to the Augusta National has sparked dreams and high hopes that give way to acceptance as they tread back down Magnolia Lane and onto the Washington Road, signifying the end of yet another attempt. McIlroy has fared best as runner-up, coming behind Scottie Scheffler in 2022. He fell behind by a hefty 10 shots going into the final round, eventually ending three short despite pulling off an impressive 64.
In a different approach this time, McIlroy has increased his play time, although not always to desirable outcomes. He has exchanged swing tactics with Butch Harmon and even participated in the Texas Open as a last bout of preparation. This has stirred interest in whether these changes can aid in completing his transformation.
Paul McGinley, an ex-Ryder Cup skipper now working as a television analyst, firmly thinks that McIlroy has the prowess to turn the tables once he sets his pace, ideally with some vigour, on Augusta National’s fairways.
McGinley noted, “Rory has been playing more than usual. I’m unsure whether this is beneficial for him. His play hasn’t been particularly impressive – it’s been chaotic, lacking the regularity he demonstrated last year. There is a prevalent view now that McIlroy not being on the [PGA Tour policy] panel is a positive shift, giving him the opportunity to focus on his golf game. I’m doubtful whether this is a good move for him. In the last couple of years when he was a figure of controversy, chairman of the PAC; it seemed to boost him on the course.”
McGinley added, “I’ve always considered him an inspiring player and leading the off-afield discussions seemed to motivate him. It placed him in a leadership position which he relished and brought to his game. Although he didn’t succeed in earning a Major title in the last two years, both his performance and consistency reached unprecedented heights, even beyond those when he was winning Majors. His stats were superb overall. However, his performance has declined this year, which is expected of Rory. I wouldn’t worry too much because he has an uncanny ability to excel. Despite entering the Masters last year in high spirits, being the favourite among bookmakers and in his own mind, he didn’t perform well and didn’t make the cut.”
This year, he’s staying out of the limelight. All the chatter will be on Scheffler while Rory might not get much attention. However, this could pave the way for him to outperform the rest. Rory has a knack for bouncing back in record time, even without much momentum. His journey to success hasn’t always been steady – there have been instances where he’s had a streak of misses followed by an unexpected win.
Reflect on the way he rebounded after missing the cut at Portrush in the 2019 Open, shooting 79 in the first round. He demonstrated his bounce-back ability by winning the very next tournament he played in. I wouldn’t worry too much about his form declining. But, it’s fair to say his performance has dwindled due to his inconsistent scoring. When he’s excited to play the next shot, eager to reach the ball, fully motivated, emotionally intense, and clear of self-imposed obstacles, that’s when I think he’s at his best”, shared McGinley.
Could McIlroy ultimately join the exclusive ranks of golf’s top champions?
Gene Sarazen managed to complete the modern career Grand Slam first back in the 1935 Masters, when he was 32. It was only the second time this tournament was held at Augusta National. Back then, it went by the name Augusta National Invitation. Sarazen found himself three strokes behind Craig Wood going into the last round. His defining play was the albatross he scored on the 15th Par 5, hitting the ball in from 235 yards with a club akin to a 4-wood. This achievement, along with his final round of 70 for 282, led to a Monday playoff against Wood. Sarazen emerged victorious in the 36-hole playoff, garnering 144 to Wood’s 149.
Ben Hogan was 40 when he won the 1953 Open.
Driven by the need to claim a claret jug to solidify his eminent reputation, the Texan made his debut in the Open at Carnoustie. This marked his solitary appearance in the oldest Major in golf, but was indeed a fruitful one. Although that year saw him victorious in the Masters and the US Open, a scheduling clash between the US PGA and the Open guided his decision. Having already secured two Wanamaker trophies, Hogan opted for a trip to Scotland. There, scoring rounds of 73-71-70-68 for a total of 282, six-under-par, he won by four strokes over runners-up including Antonio Cerda, Dai Rees, Frank Stranahan, and Peter Thomson.
Gary Player’s only US Open victory took place in 1965 at the Bellerive Country Club in Missouri, which filled the final vacancy in the Player’s triumph spectrum. Player didn’t have an easy path to victory, finding himself evenly matched with Kel Nagle on the penultimate hole after leading by three with just three holes left. Both ended with a score of two-over-par 282, necessitating a playoff which Player won with a score of 71, compared to Nagle’s 74.
In 1966, Jack Nicklaus managed his first career Grand Slam by winning his first Open at Muirfield. He won by one stroke over Doug Sanders and Dave Thomas, which in turn served as the inspiration for Nicklaus to name his Ohio-based golf course after the famed Scottish links. Nicklaus held the lead after the first two rounds but a third-round slump left Phil Rodgers leading by two as they entered the final round. However, a terrible closing 76 from Rodgers allowed for Nicklaus, playing his fifth Open, to take the title after finishing with a 70 for 282.
Finally, the highlight of Tiger Woods’ career came in 2000 Open where he emerged victorious at the age of 24.
As the youngest player to accomplish a career Grand Slam, Woods was in an era of unparalleled superiority. His victory in the Open at the Old Course in St Andrews distinguished him as the fifth player to attain such a victory. This success was the second part of what would later be known as the ‘Tiger Slam’, following his initial win at the US Open held at Pebble Beach. Later victories at the US PGA and the 2001 Masters allowed him to simultaneously hold all four Majors. In St Andrews, Woods began his championship with eight consecutive pars before accelerating ahead. His four-round score of 67-66-67-69, a total of 269, gave him a winning lead of eight strokes over competitors Ernie Els and Thomas Bjorn.