Timeline of all of Rory McIlroy’s close calls at Masters Tournament
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Rory McIlroy goes for career Grand Slam
Written by Paul Hodowanic
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Rory McIlroy is back at the well, hoping to end his major drought and achieve one of the greatest achievements in golf: the career Grand Slam. The Irishman led by two shots over Bryson DeChambeau after three rounds of the Masters. Now only 18 holes stand between McIlroy and history.
It is McIlroy’s 11th attempt attempting to complete the Grand Slam at Augusta National. He won the other three major championships by 2014, when he was 25 years old. But the Masters has tormented McIlroy over the years, twisting him in knots as he’s flirted with titles only to fall short.
Earlier in the week, McIlroy spoke of getting his heart broken. For too much of his prime, he was worried about a result on the golf course breaking his heart. And in recent years, he’s eschewed that self-preservation mechanism, knowing he needs to lay it all on the line to reach the one mountain top he has yet to crest.
“I've had chances to win some of the biggest golf tournaments in the world, and it hasn't quite happened,” McIlroy said. “But life moves on. You dust yourself off and you go again.”
Before McIlroy does just that, let’s take a walk through Rory McIlroy's history in the hallowed fairways of Augusta National.
2011
Perhaps the most famous of McIlroy’s heartbreaks at Augusta National, McIlroy led by three shots making the turn in the final round, then disaster struck. McIlroy pulled his shot left into the cabins that are hidden left of the 10th tee. He found the ball but couldn’t recover, making a triple-bogey.
Rory McIlroy plays a shot back to the fairway on the 10th hole after an errant tee shot during the final round of the 2011 Masters Tournament. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Then McIlroy bogeyed the 11th and four-putted the 12th green for a double-bogey that ended his hopes. McIlroy signed for 8-over 80 as Charl Schwartzel won by two shots over Jason Day and Adam Scott.
2014
It was McIlroy’s first top-10 at the Masters since the heartbreak of 2011, but the Irishman was never really in this one. After a first-round 71, McIlroy shot 77 in the second round and made the cut on the number. It was part of a trend of disaster rounds for McIlroy in the 2010s that derailed his hopes of a green jacket. He shot 71-69 on the weekend to finish T8, eight shots back of Bubba Watson.
2015
McIlroy finished solo fourth, but it looks much better in the history books than in reality. He was six shots back of Jordan Spieth, who blew away the rest of the field at Augusta National to claim his only Masters victory. It was another week where McIlroy started slow. He shot 71-71 in the first two rounds before firing rounds of 68-66 on the weekend.
2016
McIlroy avoided a slow start at a difficult Augusta National, shooting 71-71 to claim a spot in Saturday’s final pairing with Jordan Spieth. It didn’t last, though. McIlroy was blown off the golf course, carding a 5-over 77 in windy conditions. He finished T10, six shots back of Danny Willett.
2018
By far McIlroy’s best chance at a green jacket since 2011, McIlroy found himself in the final pairing with Patrick Reed on Sunday. McIlroy tied his then career-best at Augusta with a third-round 65 to vault into contention. But he played his final round nine shots worse, failing to get anything going as Reed played steady golf to win his lone green jacket.
Rory McIlroy plays a shot from the rough on the eighth hole during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
McIlroy made bogeys at 3, 5, 8, 11 and 14 and finished six back.
2022
McIlroy made a run at the green jacket, finishing runner-up, but ultimately a 10-shot deficit to begin the day was too much to overcome. McIlroy shot his career-best round, a scintillating 8-under 64 that included a raucous hole-out birdie from the right greenside bunker at the 18th.
Rory McIlroy reacts after chipping in for birdie from the bunker on the 18th green during the final round of the 2022 Masters. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Still, he lost by three to Scottie Scheffler, who could’ve won by even more, if not for a double bogey on the final hole.
The final round gave hope to McIlroy’s pursuit of a green jacket. After years of being snake-bitten at Augusta National, it was a joyous final day that appeared to be the start of McIlroy rebuilding his confidence at the Masters.
2023
The momentum did not continue. McIlroy shot 72-77 to miss the cut and withdrew from the RBC Heritage the next week.
2024
Inside the top-20 after the first round, the big round bit McIlroy again. He failed to make a birdie in Round 2, instead shooting 77 with three bogeys and a double bogey. It was enough to make the weekend, but McIlroy never even threatened for a non-competitive top-10. He shot 71-73 to finish T22.
