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Masters: Most Interesting Players to Watch this Year

By Christopher O'Day

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 08: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland looks on during a practice round prior to The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 08, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 08: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland looks on during a practice round prior to The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 08, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Rory McIlroy the Masters
AUGUSTA, GA – APRIL 07: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland locates his ball in the flowers on the 13th hole during the third round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 7, 2018 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy might be playing the best golf of his career as we start the 2019 Masters. All year, Rory has been the top news story in golf. For a while, the talk was could Rory finish on Sunday. He had been struggling in final groups, and wasn’t able to get a victory.

Then came The PLAYERS. After starting great with a 67-65, he was able to hold on over the weekend and shoot 70-70. While players all around him were struggling, Rory managed to keep it together and get his first win of 2019.

It isn’t to say that Rory was playing poorly by any means. In fact, he was playing insanely well. Here are his finishes over the last seven tournaments he has played in, going backwards. T9, 1, T6, 2, T4, T5, T4. For someone who was setup as being the next Tiger for so long, he was doing a good job at putting on a Tiger like stretch of finishes.

No matter how good Rory is playing, there is one tournament that he has yet to overcome. The Masters. He has continued to get close, finishing in the top 10 in each of the last five Masters events. Whether it is just not quite playing well enough to win, or shooting a bad round, like the 80 in 2011, he hasn’t been able to do it yet.

If he is able to this year, he will become one of the few male golfers to accomplish the Grand Slam. He won the U.S. Open in 2011. He won The Open in 2014. Then he won the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014. All eyes are on Rory as he tries to join the exclusive club of those who have won all four majors.

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