Rory McIlroy Will Have To Beat One Person In Particular To Have A Chance At Winning The Masters: Himself

Being familiar and being comfortable are two very different feelings, and it's fair to say Rory McIlroy is one, but not the other, when he finds himself inside the ropes of Augusta National Golf Club.

This week's 89th edition of the Masters will mark McIlroy's 17th appearance in the year's first major. He has played 58 total tournament rounds since making his debut all the way back in 2009. McIlroy is a Masters veteran at least two times over at this point, making him familiar, maybe even too familiar, with the golf course that lies in the corridor of Georgia pines.

While McIlroy has undoubtedly felt comfortable at various points across the 1,044 holes he's completed throughout his Masters of the past, Augusta National doesn't allow any player to ever feel like they're in total control, especially players like McIlroy who has built a house of horrors on the property. 

This year - brace yourself for what you are about to read next - feels different than many years of the past in terms of McIlroy finally adding a green jacket to his wardrobe.

The 2025 Masters will mark McIlroy's 11th attempt at completing the career Grand Slam, and while there have been a few instances in the past where it's felt like a McIlroy win was almost expected, it's never felt more so than at this very moment.

For the first time in his career, McIlroy will arrive at Augusta National with two wins already to his name in the calendar year, having won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in his first PGA Tour start of 2025 before following it up with his second Players Championship victory six weeks later.

McIlroy is no stranger to winning golf tournaments; he had 41 worldwide wins before the calendar turned to 2025, but getting across the line twice in just five starts before trying to tame Augusta National can't hurt.

The numbers behind McIlroy's recent play only add to the idea that this could be the year.

The 35-year-old is still among the greatest drivers of the golf ball to ever live and is one of only a few players on Earth who could legitimately overpower Augusta National if his driver cooperates. 

McIlroy has always been all-world off of the tee. It's the fact that he's 19th on Tour in strokes gained: approach, and when the rare missed green does occur, which those instances very much will during the Masters, McIlroy is fourth on Tour in scrambling with his putter turning into a weapon instead of a hindrance in 2025.

Outside of his short irons being below-average, there isn't a statistical box this version of McIlroy can't check off of his list at this point in time. 

Nobody has played better golf in the year 2025 than Rory McIlroy. In fact, you can make the argument that this is the best golf McIlroy has played in a decade after he won a pair of majors and a WGC event in 2014.

In tremendous form and with two wins already in his back pocket, it's made it feel like McIlroy is some sort of anomaly heading into this Masters' week, which couldn't be further from the truth.

The number of players who have turned down Magnolia Lane while playing the best golf of their careers to go on and never win a green jacket is almost incomprehensible. Only 56 different people can call themselves Masters champions.

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For Rory McIlroy to become the 57th name on that list, not only will he have to beat 95 other players in the field, but he'll have to ignore the fair share of demons who will try to occupy the very front of his mind from the moment he puts his first tee in the ground on Thursday.

If McIlroy plays his way into contention on Sunday afternoon, will he be able to completely block out the memory of his final round 80 during the 2011 Masters? Will he be able to stick to his pre-round gameplay when a bad bounce inevitably takes place? Can he keep the bandages on the various scars the golf course has inflicted on him between shots, when it's only himself, his thoughts, and the next shot between that point in time and potential glory?

Every past Masters champion has been able to conquer not only the golf course, but the negative thoughts that can creep into the mind. 

The question about McIlroy potentially winning the Masters has never been about whether he has the game to do it, it's been about overcoming his most daunting opponent, himself.

Written by

Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets, including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016, when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.