Gary Player made a prediction about Rory McIlroy in 2023 which has turned out to be absolutely spot on

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The 2025 season arguably perfectly summed up the career of Rory McIlroy, with the Northern Irishman going from the sublime to the ridiculous and back again in the space of 11 months.

Rory McIlroy had already established himself as one of the most talented golfers the game has seen. Tommy Fleetwood labelled McIlroy the best player of this era.

But it is hard to argue with those who believe that the 36-year-old should have achieved even more.

McIlroy went into 2025 still awaiting his first major win since 2014. And for a number of those years, it did not appear that he was getting particularly close to ending that run either.

The prediction Gary Player made about Rory McIlroy back in 2023

Of course, the tournament which McIlroy put most firmly under the microscope was The Masters. It should have been the first major he ever won, back in 2011. However, for more than a decade, it had been the title which eluded him.

That changed in 2025 – in some style. McIlroy won at Augusta National after the most exhausting day. You could almost see the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders as he collapsed to his knees after securing sporting immortality.

And it turns out that Gary Player saw the victory coming just two years earlier, as he backed McIlroy for Masters glory in an interview with the Daily Mail.

“He’s got the best swing in the world by a mile,” he said. “He’s won four majors but none since 2014. I think he will win the Masters because the course is made for him. I think if he does that, he’ll go down as one of the greats, but that’s something he has to do.

“I’ve always said my judgment of superstars is they have to win six majors. People these days say anyone who wins is a superstar. No. It’s not easily done, but I believe Rory can.”

What Gary Player said about Rory McIlroy before The Masters this year

Player won The Masters on three occasions. He was also the third man to complete the Career Grand Slam. So he knew better than most what pressure McIlroy was dealing with.

And interestingly, he doubled down on his optimism about McIlroy ahead of this year’s event.

“I think Rory McIlroy will win the Masters this year, and I hope he does because it would give golf a great boost to have another winner of the Grand Slam. He has the best swing in golf without a question. He’s the fittest golfer. He does a dead lift of 400 pounds. I don’t know if you’re aware of what a dead lift is. 400 pounds. If you do 100 pounds, it’s exceptional,” he said in his press conference.

“He went to Jack for advice on how to play this golf course. Nobody knows better than Jack. And I think timing in life, he’s had his adversities, his opportunities to win majors and let them slip. I think his time is right.”

The 2025 season did not pass without its challenges for the European. So it will be interesting to see whether the shackles really come off once he has had time to reflect on everything he has achieved this year.

With a Masters win, an inspired Ryder Cup performance and another Race to Dubai under his belt, it is hard to imagine that McIlroy could have asked for a lot more.