A hallmark of champions is the ability to reset and chase fresh goals. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods displayed that trait, and Rory McIlroy has shown similar hunger by defending the Masters and pursuing more milestones.
Last year at Augusta National McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam. This spring he added a sixth major with a second straight green jacket, and his stated aim is simple: keep climbing the list of major winners.
Those closest to the game argue the moves put him in elite company. BBC commentator and former Ryder Cup player Ken Brown says multiple majors signal a special career, and winning three different majors—or a Grand Slam and consecutive Masters titles—aligns a player with modern-era greats.
When McIlroy emerged as a dazzling shot-maker in the 2010s, some predicted he might match the major totals of Nicklaus or Woods. He racked up four majors between 2011 and 2014, including both the Open and the PGA in 2014, and was tipped to complete a Grand Slam as soon as 2015. But a string of near-misses over the following decade—at the 2018 Masters, the 2022 Open and the 2023 and 2024 U.S. Opens—led to doubts about whether a fifth major was coming.
The Masters victo
