If Rory McIlroy had been asked to draw up the ideal preparation for his latest attempt to win the Masters, it would surely have looked identical to his 2025 season to date.
Not content with winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at what he called “one of the cathedrals of golf”, McIlroy also claimed the Players Championship at another famous venue, defeating JJ Spaun in a play-off at Sawgrass.
Feeling the need for one more start before Augusta, McIlroy then recovered from a slow start to finish fifth in the Houston Open, improving his score in every round to achieve his goal of keeping the “confidence bucket” full.
It was perhaps only the fact that Scottie Scheffler also found form in Houston that ensured the world number one and defending champion remained favourite to win his third Masters title ahead of McIlroy, but the Northern Irishman will rightly care little about that.
As it has been ever since he won the Open Championship in 2014 to secure the third leg of a career grand slam, McIlroy’s sole focus will be on claiming a first green jacket to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in having claimed all four major titles.
The 35-year-old has finished inside the top 10 in six of his last 10 starts at Augusta and was in the last group in the final round in 2018, only to struggle to a closing 74 and end up six shots behind playing partner Patrick Reed.
McIlroy started the round three shots behind Reed, who bogeyed the first and failed to birdie the par-five second. McIlroy had an eagle putt from four feet on the same hole to tie for the lead but missed and bogeyed two of the next three.
That means his best chance to win also remains his worst memory of Augusta, namely when he squandered
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