The Masters: Top 10 power rankings at Augusta National
The time has come for Rory to join the legends. Five male players have achieved the career Grand Slam: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
His win this week will add the 29-year-old to join that elite pantheon.
Or so I think. The 83rd Masters is wide open and there are upwards of 50-some guys who wouldn’t be THAT huge of a surprise if they won.
But McIlroy’s got the best marriage of current form and course history, as well as championship pedigree, to get it done.
The Northern Irishman has had numerous close calls at Augusta over his career and has only missed one cut, which came back in 2010.
There are demons to overcome (re: Butler Cabin, 2011), but he seems like a more self assured individual these days.
McIlroy fired a T20 his first time on the ANGC grounds in 2009 and since 2011 has posted: T15 (54-hole lead)-T40-T25-T8-4-T10-T7-T5.
"“I love the golf course, I enjoy playing the golf course,” McIlroy said before the 2018 tournament. “Maybe I’ve got off to a couple of slow starts over the past few years, and I played my last 45 holes in 2015 in 15?under par. So it was just that slow start that held me back there, and if I get off to a bit of a better start, then maybe I’ll be right there in contention.”"
McIlroy has played the best golf of anyone in 2019, but he was spinning his wheels primarily on Sundays en route to five straight top-sixes without a win.
He rectified his woes with a win at the Players Championship where he reached 16-under. McIlroy steamrolled through his group at the WGC-Match Play before running into Tiger in the round of 16.
He ranks first on Tour in strokes gained overall and first tee to green. McIlroy could afford to be better this year on the par-5s (55th), but if he’s on game he’ll pick up a glass goblet or two this week.
McIlroy has struggled from short and awkward distances this season. When he gets a full club in his hands he’s a lot better (33rd in proximity from the fairway) and by now he should have a game plan zeroed in to give him good numbers into Augusta’s sloping greens.
McIlroy hasn’t won a major since 2014. His win at the Players quieted some of the critics, but not all.
Next. Masters 2019: Must-see Augusta-themed shoe designs. dark
He’s too smart to not realize the significance of the opportunity, though I think the time has come where he uses it to fuel him to the finish instead of leaking oil.