The 'stars are aligning' for McIlroy to win 2024 PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy. Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

The 'stars are aligning' for Rory McIlroy to win the 2024 PGA Championship

By Jack Dougherty | Last updated 5/13/24

If history is any indication, Rory McIlroy is going to win the 2024 PGA Championship this week to finally snap his 10-year major drought.

Let's rewind to 2014. A 25-year-old McIlroy, who already had two major championships under his belt, won the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club to check off three legs of the career Grand Slam.

He returned to the United States and won his next start at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. A week later, he won the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club for his third straight victory and his fourth major championship.

Sound familiar? It should.

A few weeks ago, McIlroy teamed up with fellow Irishman Shane Lowry to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He returned to the course last week and won the Wells Fargo Championship thanks to a blistering 6-under 65 in the final round.

Coming off two straight victories, the 35-year-old will go for three in a row this week at the PGA Championship at — you guessed it — Valhalla.

This is the first time since that 2014 run that McIlroy has won two straight starts entering a major championship.

⭐️⛳️ “It feels like the stars are aligning.” Rory McIlroy is in form ahead of the PGA Championship. @TrackingRory pic.twitter.com/Txm7hUIA1B
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 12, 2024

"I really got some confidence from New Orleans, winning with Shane. And then, yeah, coming into this week at a golf course that I'm comfortable at, my golf swing feels a lot more comfortable than it has," McIlroy told CBS' Amanda Balionis after his win at Quail Hollow Club. "Going to a venue next week where I've won, it feels like the stars are aligning a little bit. But I've got a lot of golf to play and a lot of great players to try to beat next week, but going into the next major of the year feeling really good about myself."

As he should. McIlroy played brilliantly at Quail Hollow, as he led the field in strokes gained from tee to green and ranked eighth in the field in strokes gained from putting.

Now, he returns to a golf course that fits him perfectly. Valhalla is a bomber's track that demands length off the tee and stellar long-iron play, which just happen to be McIlroy's biggest strengths.

If there was ever a time for this inexplicable, 10-year major drought to end, it would be this week.

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