Patience, discipline and a new motivator help McIlroy notch the Career Grand Slam
Rory McIlroy overcame adversity and completed the career grand slam in dramatic fashion on the first playoff hole Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club. The 35-year-old has been vying to complete the career grand slam for over ten years since he won the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool in 2014. It was an unforgettable Sunday with a rollercoaster of a leaderboard throughout the day. In typical Masters fashion, the back nine provided quite the drama leading up to McIlroy’s historic victory over Justin Rose.
It was a story of perseverance especially mentally for McIlroy. His talent and ability to win The Masters has always been there but its the mental side that he’s had to overcome. The pressure he’s felt over the years has continued to build as his drought in majors lasted over a decade. Rory started his career with dominance winning the U.S. Open at Congressional in 2011 just one year after his first PGA Tour victory. He went on to win the 2012 PGA Championship and then added two more majors in 2014 winning the Open Championship and PGA Championship. His streak of majors then dried up despite continuing his impressive play. Based on year end official world golf rankings, he hasn’t been ranked outside of the top 10 in the world since he turned pro in 2008, an amazing feat that itself cements his status as an all time great. That being said, every year since 2014 the storyline of McIlroy’s chance to complete the career grand slam at Augusta became more and more prevalent. The weight began to feel insurmountable, even for Rory, who admitted that at times he didn’t know if he’d ever sport a green jacket. It took a new motivator, one that forced him to buckle down and take his game to another level: Scottie Scheffler.
As the professional golf landscape evolved in recent years, new superstars emerged and one player in particular presented a big motivator for McIlroy: Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler’s dominance over the last three years forced the world’s best to redouble their efforts, especially McIlroy. After winning the Players Championship, he eluded to the fact that he could win even when not at his best because he was more of a complete player than ever before. A big factor in that equation other than putting and shaping shots off the tee has been the improvement in how he handles himself on the course. The latter is certainly the biggest factor in getting it done at The Masters and completing the career grand slam. It’s a testament not only to McIlroy for persevering but to Augusta National Golf Club and The Masters. The Masters requires its champions to play a complete game both physically and mentally to win the green jacket. It’s a marvel in both design, strategy and beauty and it was on full display last week. For McIlroy, the hard work and dedication has paid off and the weight lifted may even service as a springboard into more major championships in 2025 and beyond.