[2020's Great Challenge③] McIlroy "Most PO Wins, Next Is Green Jacket"

Published 13 Apr.2020 08:16(KST)

Updated 07 Nov.2022 15:17(KST)

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FedEx Cup's First 3-Time Champion with Title Defense at September Tour Championship, Completes 'Career Grand Slam' with November Masters Victory

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy achieves the 'Career Grand Slam' with his Masters victory.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Most PO wins, next is the Green Jacket."

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) has been agonizing for six years because of the Masters. This tournament is especially the final puzzle on the path to the 'Career Grand Slam.' Due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the event was moved from April to November, and he has yet to even get a chance. Another record is that he is the first PGA Tour player to win three FedEx Cup (PO) titles. After his first win in 2016, he secured his second last year.

McIlroy is a 'golf prodigy' comparable to Tiger Woods (USA). At age two, he showcased his genius by driving 40 yards with a driver, and at five, he led the European team to victory in the Junior Ryder Cup. At ten, he made headlines by sending a bold letter to Woods saying, "I am coming to catch you." Turning professional in 2007, he rose to global stardom by winning the 2009 European Tour Dubai Desert Classic and claimed his first major victory at the 2011 US Open.

In August 2012, he won his second major at the PGA Championship, and in 2014, he built a golden milestone with back-to-back major wins at The Open and the PGA Championship. For McIlroy, the 2015 Masters was the stage for hunting 'two rabbits'?a 'major three-peat' and the Career Grand Slam. Experts at the time sweetly predicted that he might achieve the so-called 'Rory Slam' by winning four consecutive majors through the US Open, following Woods.

After winning The Open in 2014, McIlroy took special care by devising a strategy for Augusta National early on and invited member Jeff Knox (USA) for practice rounds. Knox is an 'Augusta master' who shot an incredible 11-under par from the regular tees. In fact, during the third round of the 2014 Masters, Knox accompanied McIlroy as his 'special marker' and posted 2-under par, surpassing McIlroy's 1-under par.

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy has been agonizing for six years over the Masters, the final puzzle on his path to the 'Career Grand Slam.'

However, McIlroy's first challenge in 2015 was halted by Jordan Spieth's (USA) 'wire-to-wire' victory. Above all, he struggled on Augusta National's notorious 'glass-like greens.' In response, McIlroy underwent vision correction surgery at the end of the year to equip himself with 'hawk eyes' and received 'putting special lessons' from Phil Kenyon (England) in 2016 and Brad Faxon (USA) in 2018. His green play has improved significantly over the past two years.

Last year, he found himself watching Woods' spectacular comeback. This time, the circumstances are different. Leveraging three big match wins last year, he was crowned 'Player of the Year,' and in the 2020 season, including the November HSBC Champions victory, he entered the 'top 5' in all six tournaments, showing a steep upward trend. It is worth noting that McIlroy is particularly strong in the fall. Of his 18 PGA Tour wins, nine came after August. He expressed confidence, saying, "Autumn at Augusta will be quite splendid."

According to the PGA Tour schedule, defending the Tour Championship title in September, the final third stage of the PO, comes first. McIlroy started as the 5th seed (5-under par) under the newly introduced system last year and was five strokes behind the 1st seed Justin Thomas (10-under par), but he won by four strokes (18-under par 262), hitting the '15 million dollar (18.54 billion won) jackpot.' Since the FedEx Cup was introduced in 2007, this is the second two-time win after Woods (2007, 2009). Inevitably, a full-scale showdown with Woods has become unavoidable.