The Masters: Rory McIlroy's next major mountain? How Masters title defence at Augusta National could bring more history

Rory McIlroy reassessed his major goals after completing the career Grand Slam at The Masters, with his successful title defence now providing opportunities to create even more golfing history.

A year on from having "climbed his Everest" to secure Grand Slam glory at Augusta National, ending an 11-year await for another major victory, McIlroy became a back-to-back winner at The Masters with a gripping one-shot victory over world No 1 Scottie Scheffler.

McIlroy was already only the sixth male golfer in history to complete the career Grand Slam, while his latest victory leaves him alongside Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as the only players to successfully defend at The Masters.

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The Northern Irishman squandered a record-breaking six-shot halfway lead during a rollercoaster title defence, where he lost top spot on the final day before holding on to join Faldo, Phil Mickelson and Lee Trevino as a six-time major champion.

"I felt like the Grand Slam was the destination, and I realised it wasn't," McIlroy said after his win. "It's just a part of the journey. I still have things I want to achieve."

Which other golfing milestones could McIlroy pursue in the months and years ahead? Here are a few potential targets where he could further cement his status as an all-time great....

Potential Grand Slam double for McIlroy?

A second successive Masters title leaves McIlroy halfway to becoming a double Grand Slam champion, having also already won the PGA Championship on two separate occasions.

McIlroy has had seven top-10 finishes at the US Open since storming to his maiden major title in the 2011 contest at Congressional Country Club, won by eight strokes, including runner-up finishes to Wyndham Clark in 2023 and Bryson DeChambeau the following year.

This year's edition is held at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York before the 2027 event is held at Pebble Beach in California, a venue where McIlroy started his PGA Tour season with a victory in 2025.

McIlroy has also impressed at each of the next two Open venues, posting a top-four finish the last time it was held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in 2017 and taking third - having started the final day tied for the lead - when St Andrews' Old Course held The 150th Open in 2022.

Only Nicklaus and Woods have won all four majors on multiple occasions, winning each at least three times. McIlroy is a long way from that, but a double Grand Slam is a potential target.

"It took me 10 years to win my fifth major and then my sixth one's come pretty soon after it," McIlroy said in his press conference. "I'm not putting a number on it [major wins], but I certainly don't want to stop here."

The chance to be confirmed as Europe's greatest?

There is a strong argument to say McIlroy is already Europe's greatest-ever golfer, given he is the only male from the continent to complete the career Grand Slam, although any debate can be ended should he add to his major tally.

McIlroy's latest success takes him to six majors, the same number Faldo managed during his career, with Trevino and Mickelson also on that total and tied-12th in the all-time list of victories.

One more major would see McIlroy surpass Faldo as the most successful European golfer in the modern era, matching Harry Vardon's seven titles - six at The Open and one in the US Open - that came between 1896 and 1914.

McIlroy already has more PGA Tour wins in history than any other European and has won the DP World Tour's Order of Merit four years running. Another major title would silence any remaining doubters about being the all-time great.

"Tying Seve [Ballesteros] with two Green Jackets will mean a lot to Rory," Ryder Cup-winning captain Luke Donald posted on social media. "He is undoubtedly the best European golfer of all time now."

A first Masters three-peat?!

Winning any major is tough and going back to back is increasingly rare, but now McIlroy can set his own landmark by become the first player to win The Masters three years running.

All four players to successfully defend the Masters title were unable to follow suit a year later, while Peter Thomson's run of winning The Open in 1954, 1955 and 1956 saw him become the last male to win the same major in three consecutive years.

Steve Stricker managed it more recently on the PGA Tour at the John Deere Classic between 2009 and 2011, while Woods achieved it on multiple occasions without ever securing a major three-peat.

"The monkey came off your [McIlroy's] back last year, and now, all of a sudden, you are the only guy who has a chance to three-peat," Nicklaus said on social media. "Rory is in the prime of his career. Now let's see if there are some more majors for him on the horizon!"

A chance for the 'Rory Slam'?!

Woods is the only male golfer in the modern era to win all four majors consecutively, with three of those coming in 2000, but McIlroy is the latest with the opportunity to sweep the lot in the same calendar year.

McIlroy joked 12 months ago that "you can't win all four majors in a year if you haven't won the first one", then failed to contend at the PGA Championship or the US Open before ending tied-seventh on home soil at The Open.

Jordan Spieth was the last player to win the first two majors of a season, following his breakthrough title at The Masters in 2015 by adding the US Open later that year, with Woods (2002) the only other this century to start in the same way.

Should McIlroy add to his major tally at the PGA Championship next month at Aronimink Golf Club, live from May 14-17 on Sky Sports, then speculation over a possible Calendar Slam will gather more momentum.

Ryder Cup history in McIlroy's sights

Next year marks the centenary edition of the Ryder Cup, where McIlroy will likely play an integral role in Team Europe's push for a third consecutive victory over the United States.

McIlroy top-scored in the 2023 victory in Rome and won 3.5 points in their historic success in New York, with the next contest at Adare Manor offering him the chance to be part of a record-equalling seventh European Ryder Cup victory.

His legacy - like captain Donald - in the Ryder Cup is already confirmed, with McIlroy set for multiple more appearances in the years ahead and destined to be captain at some stage.

"He's got a game that will age because as powerful as he is now, one of the biggest hitters in the game, when he does lose a bit of age and gets to about 40 years old and he comes off a little bit, he'll still be one of the biggest hitters," former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley explained.

"So there's no reason with his short game as good as it is now, with the all-roundedness of his game now, that his game is not going to be something that can survive for six or seven years."

Can McIlroy chase down Scheffler to world No 1?

Scheffler has been the dominant force in world golf over the past four years, winning 20 times on the PGA Tour - including four majors - during that period, but McIlroy's last victory pulls him closer to the American in the battle to be world No 1.

McIlroy has spent a combined 122 weeks at world No 1 across nine different stints in his career, although has not held top spot since losing it to Scheffler in February 2023.

Scheffler briefly lost world No 1 when Jon Rahm won The Masters that April but regained it a month later and has been ever-present since, with McIlroy the only immediate threat to end his three-year stay in top spot.

"I know Scottie Scheffler is number one in the world, but to me Rory McIlroy is the best player in the world," Butch Harmon told Sky Sports. "McIlroy is maybe starting the second phase of his career - I know it sounds a bit ridiculous at his age."

The PGA Championship (May 14-17), US Open (June 18-21) and The Open (July 16-19) are still to come, with McIlroy now working towards new major targets.

"I have the opportunity to do them all," McIlroy told Sky Sports. "I've won two Masters, two PGAs, a chance to win two Opens, two US Opens.

"I said last year after the Grand Slam everything else is the cherry on top, and it is. Getting over that hurdle makes the next few years of my career just have potential."

Can McIlroy enjoy more major success this year? Watch the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, majors and more exclusive live on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.

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