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Rewinding back to spring 2015, a career grand slam felt inevitable for Rory McIlroy.
The young Northern Irishman had already achieved golf super stardom, winning four majors by the ripe old age of 25. He appeared on track to threaten Tiger and Jack's major milestones and take a seat at the table of golf's most legendary icons.
But golf is funny, much like life. Nothing is as linear as it seems. Twists, turns, ebbs, flows, momentum and crashes are all part of the journey. What was so simple to start his career morphed into something so difficult. Rory's ride was about as rocky as it gets for a premier professional golfer.
Even though he wouldn't win another major for a decade, you can hardly call his run from 2015-2025 a failure. He won tons of tournaments and even more money. But the question remained, growing into a bigger burden with each passing year: Would Augusta National be the dragon Rory could never slay?
As we all know by now, McIlroy finally captured his green jacket in the most Rory of ways. He made it hard on himself. He followed brilliant shots with head-scratching ones. In the end, the boy from Ulster proved his resiliency is arguably his most endearing trait beyond his talent.
The last year has been a wonderful victory lap for McIlroy, celebrating his status as one of just six golfers with a career grand slam. Now it's time to get back to business, defending his Masters title.
But before he does, let's look back at how he won each of his four major championships before his well-documented 2025 Masters win.
2011 U.S. Open at Congressional
Fresh off a painful meltdown on the back nine at the 2011 Masters, nobody knew what to expect from young McIlroy, just 22 at the time. A bounceback performance that showcased his massive potential - that's what. McIlroy led after every round of the 2011 U.S. Open on Congressional's Blue Course, shooting scores of 65, 66, 68, and 69. He set or tied 12 U.S. Open records, most notably the lowest 72-hole score (268) and the lowest score in relation to par (16-under). This, perhaps, more than any, was his "Hello, World" moment in golf.
2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island Golf Resort's Ocean Course
Another major, another record. McIlroy carved up the fearsome Ocean Course, especially during a near-perfect final-round 66, to win the 2012 PGA Championship by an incredible eight strokes, besting a record margin previously held by Jack Nicklaus. When you're surpassing the Golden Bear in the major championship record book, it's quite the accomplishment.
2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool
McIlroy secured his first Claret Jug with another wire-to-wire major victory, although this one had a bit more drama. After a pair of brilliant 66s around Royal Liverpool, McIlroy didn't have his best stuff in the final round, carding a 71 to hold off the hard-charging Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia by two shots. McIlroy's early years were marked by a dislike for the wicked weather and bad bounces of links golf, but this victory once again proved he could win any type of tournament on any course. He's the only golfer to ever win six national opens - U.S. Open (2011), The Open Championship (2014), Irish Open (2016), Australian Open (2013), Canadian Open (2019, 2022) and Scottish Open (2023).
2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club
Capping off a dominant summer, McIlroy became the first European player to win back-to-back majors, following up his Open Championship with a win at the 2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and then his second Wanamaker trophy by one shot over Phil Mickelson. He wrapped up a 66 in near-dark during a wet final round. No one could have foreseen a decade-long major drought to come.
McIlroy's ongoing pursuit of history
Maybe in another decade we can rewrite this narrative and add another five major championships to his resume. McIlroy has talked a lot about how the final chapter of his hall-of-fame career will be focused on winning at "cathedrals of the game" and special Ryder Cup moments such as the European Team winning on American soil, another goal checked off the list in 2025.
Is Rory ready for another run of four majors in three years like he did early in his career or another period of inconsistent results that lead to empty trophy cases for a decade? It's impossible to predict, especially with McIlroy, and that's what makes him so popular and fascinating. We've watched him grow up before our eyes from the chubby-cheeked kid with squirrely hair to the clean-cut, muscle-bound champion he is today.
Whatever happens, many golf fans will be rooting for him the entire way.
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