A surefire sign of a sports star who wants true greatness is the ability to recalibrate, realign and chase the next goal. Jack Nicklaus had that quality. Tiger Woods did too. Rory McIlroy may not reach their tall major totals, but by successfully defending the Masters he has shown the same hunger to pursue new targets.
Last year at Augusta National McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam, and on Sunday he secured a sixth major with another Masters victory. Facing the question of what comes next, his ambition is clear: climb as high as possible on the list of major winners.
Ken Brown, BBC golf commentator and former European Ryder Cup player, said: “If you win more than one major you’re semi-elite. To have won three of the majors means you have had an exceptional career. But to win the Grand Slam and back-to-back Masters? It puts you in the spot where you are living with the absolute greats who have played the game in the modern era.”
When McIlroy broke through as a flashy shot-maker in the 2010s, predictions suggested he might challenge Nicklaus and Woods. He won four majors between 2011 and 2014, including back-to-back Open and US PGA titles in 2014, prompting talk he could complete a career Grand Slam at the 2015 Masters. Expectations grew heavy and opportunities were missed over the next decade — notably at the 2018 Masters, the 2022 Open, and the 2023 and 2024 US Opens — leading some to wonder if he would ever add a fifth major.
The drought ended with the Masters last year, and McIlroy said achieving his long-held goal would “free him up” to pursue more majors. Those early bold predictions that he might match Nicklaus or Woods remain fanciful, but history suggests a player with McIlroy’s fitness and work ethic can prolong his peak. Phil Mickelson won a major at nearly 51; Nicklaus won his 18th at 46; Woods won his 15th at 43.
Brown praised McIlroy’s dedication: “Rory is as fit as a fiddle. He’s so diligent with his fitness work. He’s never going to say, ‘Oh, I’ll just have the day off’. He has that level of intensity which passes people by when you see someone play. He is one of the greats because he’s always working on something. But to win a lot of majors you’ve got to be fit, you’ve got to be strong, you’ve got to make sure you’re mentally prepared for it every week. Rory is.”
There are nearer-term milestones that would cement McIlroy’s status. Paul McGinley, former European Ryder Cup captain, said McIlroy wants to be known as the greatest European of all time. Luke Donald has already declared him top of the pile. McIlroy’s second consecutive Masters moved him level with England’s Sir Nick Faldo on six majors and one clear of Spain’s Seve Ballesteros. Harry Vardon’s seven majors from the pre-modern era remain ahead, but by modern metrics McIlroy’s record is compelling.
McIlroy has 30 PGA Tour wins, including two Players Championship titles, and he is chasing an eighth season-long European Tour Race to Dubai title. Last season he clinched a seventh Race to Dubai — his fourth in a row — which left him one behind Colin Montgomerie’s record and ahead of Ballesteros. McGinley notes the always-present next level: “As much as many of us might think that he’s already Europe’s best ever, he didn’t have as many major championships as Nick Faldo or Harry Vardon. Even though he has caught Nick he hasn’t caught Vardon. There’s always another level to reach and I think he has reset his goals in that regard.”
On the global stage of his generation, McIlroy stands out. His six majors have not been matched by any other player since his first in 2011. By winning his second Masters he moved ahead of American Brooks Koepka — a five-time major winner — and extended his advantage over world number one Scottie Scheffler, who has four. Dominating majors remains difficult; only 10 men have won multiple majors in a single year since 2000.
The current crop of contenders makes predicting a long run of McIlroy majors bold. Scheffler, 28, is the obvious threat, and players such as Justin Rose, Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood and Xander Schauffele are all capable of major success. BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter said: “It is quite possible that he could have a battle royale with Scottie Scheffler in a month’s time at the US PGA – that would be amazing. Put that into the context of this being the first Masters since 1994 where we’ve had no Phil Mickelson and no Tiger Woods – this is golf which has gone completely full circle. We have our superstars now and we don’t have to think about those great names from the past any more.”
For now, McIlroy has re-emerged as the standout star of his era. Where he ultimately sits — chasing Nicklaus’s 18 or Woods’s 15 — looks unlikely, but further major wins, continued PGA and European Tour dominance, and longevity could yet place him among the all-time greats, and leave little doubt he is Europe’s finest of the modern era. How much further he can soar remains to be seen.
