Tiger Woods predicts Rory McIlroy will complete career Grand Slam
Every year around this time, one of the biggest storylines in golf revolves around Rory McIlroy and his ongoing quest to complete the career Grand Slam. The Northern Irishman checked off three of the four boxes all the way back in 2014, but the green jacket waiting inside the Augusta National Golf Club Champions Locker Room has always evaded him.
Many people believe McIlroy will never clear the mental hurdle to win The Masters, but Tiger Woods isn't one of them.
"No question he'll do it at some point," Woods told reporters during his press conference ahead of the 2024 Masters, including Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Rory's too talented, too good, and he's gonna be playing this event for a very long time. He'll get it done, it's just a matter of when. But yes, I think that Rory will be a great Masters champion one day. It could be this week, you just never know. I just think that, again, the talent that he has, the way he plays the game and the way the golf course fits his eye, it's just a matter of time."
Woods may be in the minority with that opinion, but he does have a point.
It's not as if McIlroy struggles to contend at Augusta National. In 15 career starts at The Masters, McIlroy has four top-five finishes and a runner-up just two years ago. He's finished inside the top 10 seven times in his last 10 trips to Augusta.
The only factor holding him back from winning a green jacket is his head. McIlroy is still the best driver of the golf ball in the world and a top-three player on Earth. Once he overcomes the mental side of his major championship drought, he'll be able to join Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen and Gary Player as the only golfers to complete the career Grand Slam.
McIlroy is still only 34. That may seem old for golfers, but it's fairly young in Masters years. Nicklaus won his sixth Masters title when he was 46. Woods won a few years ago at 43. In fact, seven players in the history of The Masters have secured the green jacket in their 40s.
McIlroy's career Grand Slam window isn't near closed, and Woods knows that better than anyone.
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