McIlroy leaving no stone unturned in hope of Masters glory

Rory McIlroy is leaving no stone unturned as he fine-tunes his game in preparation for The Masters, the one Major Championship that has eluded him in his illustrious career.

Despite an impressive start to the PGA Tour season, McIlroy has been "trying to poke holes" in his performance to uncover areas for further improvement ahead of the first Major of the season in two weeks.

The Northern Irishman currently sits atop the FedExCup standings after claiming victories at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players Championship, where he edged out Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry and triumphed in a Monday playoff at TPC Sawgrass, respectively. These wins have bolstered McIlroy’s confidence as he eyes the first major of the year.

Speaking ahead of his return to the Texas Children’s Houston Open, where he will make his final PGA Tour appearance before The Masters, McIlroy emphasised his focus on staying in the moment. "I just want to get a card in my hand and shoot scores," he told reporters. "Hopefully, I can get myself in contention and try to win another golf tournament.

"It's not as if I'm playing here this week and thinking about two weeks' time [The Masters]. I'm here, I'm in the present, and I'm trying to do my best this week to win this golf tournament. I'm obviously playing well, and I want to keep playing well. Every round you play, where you see good things, you're filling up that confidence bucket."

Despite his recent success, McIlroy remains critical of his performance.

"It was great to get a win a couple of weeks ago, but I still feel I could have played a lot better," he admitted. "I tried to poke holes in my game and think about things I could do better. There are definitely areas I could work on."

McIlroy’s preparations for The Masters included a scouting mission to Augusta National earlier this week. He took the opportunity to reacquaint himself with the iconic course and assess the changes made to four greens.

"I use those trips just to refamiliarize myself with the place—clubs off tees, checking if they’ve changed any greens," McIlroy explained. "There are four greens that are new this year, so I wanted to see if there are any new hole positions.

"For me, it’s nice to play a practice round without people around. It takes the pressure off the start of the week. The obligations—media, the par-three contest—can make it feel rushed Monday through Wednesday, so getting there early helps me feel more prepared."

The 2025 season might represent McIlroy’s best opportunity to don the Green Jacket and complete a career Grand Slam. His two early-season victories mark a departure from past years when he often struggled to build momentum. Now, with his game in peak form and a renewed focus, McIlroy appears primed for Augusta’s unique challenge.

Since his last Major victory in 2014, McIlroy has consistently been in contention, amassing 21 top-10 finishes in Majors, including a runner-up result at The Masters two years ago. His ability to stay patient and his growing confidence could finally push him over the line this time.