Could this be the year? The sight of Rory McIlroy’s four-year-old daughter Poppy sinking a monster putt during the Par Three Contest on the eve of the 89th Masters certainly suggests the omens might finally be favorable.
Beyond the civil war between the PGA Tour and the upstart LIV Golf, and Tiger Woods’ ongoing battle to stay fit, one storyline has loomed largest in the golfing world for over a decade: McIlroy’s still-elusive quest for a first win at Augusta.
A victory at golf’s most prestigious tournament this weekend would see the Northern Irish star finally complete his career Grand Slam, ending an agonizing 11-year wait. The burden of that wait has loomed large since he claimed his third Major title at Royal Liverpool in 2014, leaving only one final hurdle to overcome.
Now, with the stars seemingly aligning once again, the question looms larger than ever: Can McIlroy finally secure the win that would propel him into the elite ranks of all-time greats alongside legends like Jack Nicklaus and his hero, Tiger Woods?
Also see: How to Watch the Masters 2025: TV Schedule, Tee Times, Best Streaming Options
Each April brings renewed hope and a familiar weight — the ghosts of near misses and Sunday slips haunting the azaleas. The 35-year-old’s collapse at the 2011 Masters, which saw him fire an 80 on the final day’s play to go from a four-shot lead to a tie for 15th, remains a career low, while his runner-up finish in 2022, three shots behind Scottie Scheffler, stands as a more recent false dawn.
This year, though, there’s a different feel. McIlroy arrives not just with form but with a sense of freedom.
The Ulster native started the season with a commanding victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, finishing 21-under-par and two strokes ahead of his closest competitor, fellow Irishman Shane Lowry.
Building on this momentum, McIlroy clinched his second Players Championship title at TPC Sawgrass last month, showing plenty of grit to prevail in a three-hole playoff against J.J. Spaun.
Those victories mark him out as the only player in this year’s Augusta field with multiple PGA Tour titles before this weekend’s big show.
McIlroy’s stats also paint a promising picture — his driving distance average is an impressive 315.1 yards this term, while his average of 4.35 birdies per round indicates his putting game is in check for Augusta’s challenging greens.
The obvious barrier to McIlroy realizing his dream in Georgia is the weekend’s other intriguing narrative: Scottie Scheffler’s pursuit of an historic back-to-back Masters victory.
Winless so far this year, the 2024 Player of the Year nevertheless remains the bookies’ favorite to defend his title and join the esteemed ranks of Nicklaus, Woods and Nick Faldo as the only men to have pulled off wins at Augusta in consecutive years.
There also remains the low-key threat of Spain’s Jon Rahm, who enters this year’s tournament unburdened by the politics of his defection to LIV.
McIlroy, nevertheless, seems in a relaxed state of mind ahead of this year’s push for a Green Jacket. “I’m feeling good,” he told reporters in the build-up. “I’m in a good place. My game, mentally, physically, everything about it, I’m feeling good. I’m excited for the week.”
Could Poppy’s heroics on Augusta’s final hole provide her dad with the final spark of inspiration, helping him secure his place among the game’s all-time greats?
You can watch all the drama unfold at Augusta by following our guide to streaming the 2025 Masters.
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