Dame Laura Davies predicts whether Rory McIlroy will win the Masters this year after his triumph at Pebble Beach

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Rory McIlroy stormed to a big win on his first PGA Tour start of the season as he won at Pebble Beach to get his 2025 off to the ideal start.

McIlroy has been looking good ever since he adopted some small swing changes at the back end of last year and he rolled into Pebble to produce some magic.

McIlroy ended up seeing off both Sepp Straka and good friend Shane Lowry and after winning a venue he’s so often struggled at, all eyes are once again on of McIlroy can break his Masters duck.

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The Northern Irishman needs to win at Augusta to complete a career grand slam.

And after seeing him produce at Pebble Beach, Dame Laura Davies has made her prediction on McIlroy’s chances.

Rory McIlroy told if he can win the Masters after winning the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach

Speaking on the Sky Sports coverage as Rory McIlroy was waiting to take his final tee-shot on 18, Dame Laura Davies spoke of McIlroy’s Masters chances.

And according to Davies, this year could well be the one for McIlroy.

“I personally think he will win the Masters this year,” Davies said. “I think he played so well at the end of last year, winning that tournament the way he did, his wedge game is getting better, he is full of confidence and this is just another confidence boost, if he needed any more.

“I don’t think anyone could put any pressure on him that he has not done to himself. It’ll be the same position he has been the last 10 years, but I think his game is in a really good position now.”

Rory McIlroy is desperate to Masters success

Everyone golf fan wants to see Rory McIlroy make it five majors and crucially, they want to see him join the golfers who’ve won the career grand slam.

Of course, a lot of the pressure comes from McIlroy himself, who has been obsessed with winning at Augusta for some time.

Speaking back in 2014, McIlroy admitted he was ‘desperate’ to complete the grand slam.

“I definitely hope so. I’ve really found my passion again for golf. Not that it ever dwindled, but it’s what I think about when I get up in the morning. It’s what I think about when I go to bed. I just want to be the best golfer that I can be. And I know if I can do that, then trophies like this are within my capability,” McIlroy said at the time.

“I’d love to win a lot more and really looking forward to — even though there’s still one major left this year that I want to desperately try and win, I looking forward to next April and trying to complete the career Grand Slam.”

Clearly, 11 years on from those comments, McIlroy is running out of time to get it done.

But with such a performance at Pebble Beach, McIlroy looks somewhere near his very best and he’ll be delighted with his opening effort.