To accomplish the calendar slam McIlroy must go where none has been before. Only Tiger Woods has held all four majors consecutively but not in the same year.
Before that the great Ben Hogan came closest with wins at the Masters, US Open and The Open in 1953.
A long time coming. Congratulations, Rory. #themasters pic.twitter.com/f72nOxQbfw
Indeed, only five golfers have had more success at one place. Woods won an incredible eight times at three sites, Torrey Pines, Bay Hill and Firestone. Jack Nicklaus won six at the Masters, Phil Mickelson and Mark O’Meara five apiece at Pebble Beach, and Davis Love III five at Harbour Town. Woods also won five times at Augusta and Muirfield Village.
At more than 7,600 yards, Quail is the sixth longest on tour, or as McIlroy calls it, a big boy’s course. McIlroy’s mastery of it is largely down to his prodigious driving. Yes, he’s first in strokes gained off the tee this year.
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3. The weather. It’s been wet in Charlotte this week. And when it rains in the Carolinas in the spring it pours. Rain softens the course, effectively making it longer, placing an even higher premium on length off the tee. And few are longer than Rors.
McIlroy is particularly proficient on holes 7-10, comprising two par-5s, a par-4 at 500 yds-plus and a driveable par-4, and 15-17, comprising a par-5, a par-4 at 500 yds-plus and a long par-3, measuring more than 200 yards.
With his destiny secure there is a sense that McIlroy at 36 can fill out his CV to eclipse Nick Faldo as Europe’s most prolific major winner, and perhaps hit double figures.
This new focus has already brought him three wins this year, and all of them prestigious tournaments at iconic venues, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass and the Masters at Augusta National.
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Since none has done it before the evidence suggests the calendar grand slam is just too big a demand. But what is McIlroy if not resilient?
On the par-5 13th he dunked it in Rae’s Creek after laying up and posted a double, dropped another at the 14th. At the last hole he missed a five-footer for victory and watched Justin Rose hit it close in the play-off, only to get inside him and hole out from four feet. Cue delirium.
After that, what’s a calendar slam?
When are the final two golf majors of the year?
US Open: 12-15 June – Oakmont Country Club, Pennsylvania
The Open: 17–20 July – Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland
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If there is such a thing as fate owing a debt then McIlroy is surely due one at the US Open at another eastern seaboard venue made for his length and accuracy.
7. Home sweet home. And then it’s on to The Open at Royal Portrush in July, a homecoming in Northern Ireland on a course where 20 years ago he set the course record at the North of Ireland Championship aged 16.
“The 17th at the time was a par-5 and the easiest birdie on the course. That took me to 10-under and I just thought, don’t screw this up. I hit a perfect drive and a good 8-iron into the heart of the green. I just wanted to two-putt but ended up rolling it in. I did not care what the score was, I just wanted the course record.”
One thing is for certain, he won’t repeat the trauma of 2019, when, brim full of emotion, he started the 148th Open at Portrush with an eight. McIlroy fought back bravely to miss the cut only by a single shot. History owes him…
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