Why 2-time winner Rory McIlroy keeps coming back to the RBC Canadian Open

For years, the character tension surrounding Rory McIlroy emerged four times per season.

As his major drought stretched on and on, and his quest for the career Grand Slam grew less and less likely with each Masters loss, McIlroy's mental battles always came into focus — whether it was a new approach, a gutting collapse or an untimely injury.

Then, in April, he finally did it. McIlroy won the Masters, becoming just the sixth player ever to achieve the career Grand Slam. You could see what it meant throughout his roller-coaster final round, and especially as he collapsed on the 18th green after the winning putt dropped.

In the minutes, hours and weeks that followed, it was pure jubilation.

But when the second major of the season rolled around — the PGA Championship in May — McIlroy struggled, barely made the cut and refused to talk to media on any of the four days amid news that his driver had been deemed non-conforming.

Soon after, he skipped The Memorial — a signature event hosted by Jack Nicklaus that he hadn't missed since 2017.

And so when he stepped to the podium for his pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, ahead of the RBC Canadian Open, there were plenty of questions.

Namely — why was he here?

WATCH | Recapping McIlroy's Masters win with Myles Dichter of Basement Golf:

Rory McIlroy wins the Masters, recap with Myles Dichter of Basement Golf

"It means a lot. I haven't, I guess, hidden my aspirations for national opens and where I would like them to be, what their standing is in the professional game of golf. So this has meant a lot," McIlroy said.

Since 2019, McIlroy has made a habit of playing the Canadian Open, even as it's bounced around a bit on the schedule.

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