Rory McIlroy should be one of the heavy favourites heading into The Open Championship, particularly with the Northern Irishman already getting practice in at Royal Birkdale.
It is fair to say that Rory McIlroy has never been more determined to build his entire schedule around what is going to help him add to his tally of six major championships.
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McIlroy finished tied for fourth the last time The Open Championship was held at Royal Birkdale.
This time, however, he is not facing a single question about how long it has been since he last won a major.
In fact, McIlroy goes into the final major of 2026 edging ever closer to making more history.
Rory McIlroy is edging closer to a second Career Grand Slam
Should the 37-year-old win the Claret Jug for a second time this month, he will move to within a US Open victory of a second Career Grand Slam.
The only male players in the history of the game to have won more than one Career Grand Slam are Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Both men have won three.
McIlroy has now won the PGA Championship and The Masters on two occasions.
Another win at The Open, therefore, would set up a mouthwatering prospect ahead of the 2027 US Open at Pebble Beach.
Scottie Scheffler will already have one eye on the 2027 US Open at Pebble Beach
Of course, the main topic of conversation at this year’s US Open concerned whether Scottie Scheffler could complete the Career Grand Slam at the first attempt.
Scheffler was in the final group on Sunday at Shinnecock Hills. However, he will have to wait until next year to join one of the game’s most exclusive clubs as he failed to catch Wyndham Clark.
That means that there is a genuine prospect of McIlroy and Scheffler heading to one of the game’s most iconic venues both hoping to complete a Career Grand Slam at the same tournament.
Obviously, Scheffler winning would be more significant. But it should not be overlooked just what an incredible achievement it would be if McIlroy became only the third man to win multiple Career Grand Slams.
It is great for the game whenever Scheffler and McIlroy are in the same field, particularly if they both end up in contention.
Golf fans across the world should be delighted if McIlroy wins The Open and increases the likelihood of the 2027 US Open being one of the most incredible and important events in the game’s recent history.
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