Rory McIlroy: ‘If I can win the Masters, then the Leafs can win the Stanley Cup’

McIlroy, who has now won each of the major golf tournaments, had struggled to secure a win at Augusta National in Augusta, GA, and had failed to win any major over the previous 11 years, despite consistently ranking among the best in the sport. 

A storyline not too dissimilar from the Maple Leafs and their 57-year Stanley Cup drought, last lifting the trophy in 1967. 

It’s far from the first time McIlory has commented on the Maple Leafs as well. In 2022, he had his caddy wear a Leafs jersey during the Canadian Open, and in 2024, he went to dinner with Leafs leadership.

“I would certainly love [them to win], along with, I don’t know, probably millions of locals and Canadians,” McIlroy said in 2024. 

“I don’t know much about the Leafs, I had dinner with someone that’s pretty intimately involved a few nights ago, so sounds like they’re making some changes this off-season and hopefully that’s the catalyst to hopefully that’s the catalyst to making a run in the playoffs and maybe getting that Stanley Cup.”

The Maple Leafs went on to make a coaching change and several roster tweaks after McIlroy’s quote in 2024. Despite no Northern Irish insight in 2025, the Leafs have already made significant moves this offseason as well, parting ways with President Brendan Shanahan after 11 seasons – the same number of years as McIlory’s majors drought. 

While McIlory searches for his third Canadian Open title this week, the Maple Leafs will continue to build towards their Stanley Cup aspirations through the offseason, with looming contract negotiations with key unsigned forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares.