In hindsight, it should have come as absolutely no surprise that Rory McIlroy found the adjustment so difficult after finally winning The Masters last year.
Rory McIlroy was going to be remembered as an all-time great whether he won The Masters or not. However, triumphing at Augusta National would have certainly elevated him to a completely different level.
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So when he did win last April, it made sense that the Northern Irishman needed so long to find his purpose on the golf course again.
Rory McIlroy is now back on track after his post-Masters slump in 2025
McIlroy wanted to win an away Ryder Cup. But had Europe not won at Bethpage, he would still be able to reflect on being a part of the Miracle at Medinah in 2012.
Meanwhile, he will not have another opportunity to win an Olympic medal until 2028. So setting the goals which really get the juices flowing was always going to be a near impossible challenge for the 37-year-old.
That post-Masters slump is now well and truly behind him. McIlroy retained his title at Augusta National last month.
And with that, McIlroy has a golden opportunity to achieve a feat that would eclipse his first Masters victory.
There are not many golf courses that do not suit McIlroy’s eye. But Aronimink for this week’s PGA Championship appears to particularly play into his hands, with distance seemingly hugely advantageous.
If he is firing on all cylinders with his approach game, McIlroy is going to be incredibly difficult to stop.
And if he is able to triumph this week, then it will be impossible to ignore talk of an unprecedented Grand Slam.
Rory McIlroy winning the Grand Slam in 2026 does not look to be out of the question
McIlroy has turned himself into a phenomenal US Open player over the last seven years. He has six top 10s in that time, while his worst finish during that run is tied for 19th.
He also has three top 10s in his last four starts at The Open Championship. If he gets on the right side of the draw at Royal Birkdale in July, he is clearly going to be a serious contender.
No one has held all four major championships at the same time since Tiger Woods in 2001. Meanwhile, no player has ever won the current four majors in the same calendar year.
McIlroy obviously has a very long way to go. But it felt significant that he won The Masters without his best game.
Very little could ever compete with the rush of winning at Augusta National for the very first time after so many years of pain and disappointment.
But in truth, McIlroy now has a chance to do something even greater in 2026.
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