McIlroy and Spieth, Mickelson "When is the Career Grand Slam Challenge?"

'COVID-19' Impact Disrupts Major Schedules: McIlroy Masters, Spieth PGA Championship, Mickelson's US Open as the 'Final Puzzle'

Rory McIlroy is eagerly awaiting the resumption of the Masters to challenge the 'Career Grand Slam'.

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] "The final puzzle."

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) has the Masters left, Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson (both from the United States) have the PGA Championship and the US Open remaining. They are all challenging the 'Career Grand Slam' by sweeping four different majors. In the history of global golf, only five players have achieved this: Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan (both from the United States), Gary Player (South Africa), Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods (both from the United States). Who will conquer the 'sixth summit' first?

▲ McIlroy: "Waiting for the Masters in October" = It is rather unfortunate that the Masters, scheduled for the 9th of next month, was indefinitely postponed due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). He has been on an upward trend, having swept three wins last year and being named 'Player of the Year.' In the 2020 season, he also showed his destructive power by finishing in the 'top 5' in all six tournaments, including an early win at the World Golf Championships (WGC) HSBC Champions in November.

McIlroy collected three major trophies: the 2011 US Open, the 2012 PGA Championship, and the 2014 Open Championship. However, the Masters has been a source of frustration for five years, with finishes of T4 in 2015, T10 in 2016, T7 in 2017, T5 in 2018, and T21 last year. Last year, he was merely a spectator to Woods' spectacular comeback. This time, the situation is different. Above all, his only weakness, putting, has improved.

He underwent vision correction surgery in 2015 to gain 'hawk eyes,' and changes in putting grip, a new putter, and special coaching from Phil Kenyon (England) in 2016 and Brad Faxon (United States) in 2018 have shown effects. This is why McIlroy expressed his desire to hold the Masters even without spectators before the postponement. When rumors of an 'October event' surfaced recently, he raised expectations again, saying, "Autumn in Augusta will be quite wonderful."

Jordan Spieth has the PGA Championship remaining as the final puzzle to achieve the 'Career Grand Slam'.

▲ Spieth: "The PGA Championship is a fortress" = In 2015, he won two majors in a flash. That was a 'major back-to-back' with the Masters in April and the US Open in June. It was unfortunate that his attempt at a historic 'three consecutive major wins' early in the season, which hadn't been done since Hogan in 1953, was thwarted by a one-stroke T4 finish at the third major, the Open Championship in July. Fortunately, he succeeded in completing the three puzzles by winning the Open Championship in 2017.

His first attempt at the PGA Championship resulted in a T28 finish, and in 2018 and 2019, Brooks Koepka (United States) blocked him. Koepka also achieved a rare feat last year by defending his title for the first time in 12 years since Woods (2006?2007). Spieth has not won a PGA Tour event or a major since the 2017 Open Championship, which is a concern. His main weapon, putting, has faltered, causing difficulties on the greens. Escaping this slump is urgent.

Phil Mickelson has had a streak of bad luck, finishing as runner-up six times at the US Open.

▲ Mickelson: "The frustrating US Open" = He barely became a 'Career Grand Slammer' candidate over a long period of nine years, including the 2004 Masters, the 2005 PGA Championship, and the 2013 Open Championship. The problem is his ill fate with the US Open. He has finished as runner-up six times: in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, and 2013. Especially in 2006, he lost the championship on the final day with a double bogey on the 18th hole (par 4) after starting the day one stroke ahead.

Mickelson's finishes have been slipping away from the winning circle as he ages, with T28 in 2014, T64 in 2015, and missing the cut in 2016. It is interesting that he skipped the tournament in 2017 because it conflicted with his eldest daughter Amanda's high school graduation ceremony, showing his special family love. He finished T48 in 2018, T52 last year, and has not yet qualified this year. The US Open is also unlikely to start on June 18. With the major schedule overlapping, it is uncertain when his opportunity will come.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.