Rory McIlroy won last year's Masters Tournament to join illustrious company in completing the career Grand Slam, and added a sixth Major title on Sunday with his successful defence this year.
In 2025, the Northern Irishman dramatically defeated Justin Rose in a play-off at Augusta National, ending a near 11-year-wait for his fifth Major Championship victory.
By winning the fourth and final leg of golf's four biggest titles in men's professional golf, he became just the sixth player to do so - after Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
He also became just the second member of the elite group since the turn of the century after Woods did so by winning The Open at St Andrews in 2000.
At 35, he was the second oldest player to complete the career Grand Slam, five years younger than Hogan was when he achieved it in 1953.
"This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time," McIlroy said after his win.
"I'm just absolutely honored and thrilled, and so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion ... A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.
2026
A year later, he once again held off a brilliant effort from Rose and eventually finished one shot better than Scottie Scheffler as he became just the fourth player in history to successfully defend The Masters after Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo, and Woods.
With victory, he also tied Faldo's Major tally of six, the most of any European in history.
"I just can't believe I waited 17 years to get one green jacket, and I get two in a row. It's just sort of the way -- I don't know. I think all of my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has really started to pay off.
It was a tough weekend. I did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday. But just so, so happy to hang in there and get the job done."
Let's take a look at the statistics underlining the continued global success of the Northern Irishman.
Since turning professional in 2007, as an 18-year-old, McIlroy has made a combined 531 appearances across the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR. Including his eight amateur starts on the DP World Tour, he has 266 starts on Golf’s Global Tour and 272 on the PGA TOUR to make 539 overall.
2009
The first title of his career in the paid ranks came on the DP World Tour in 2009 at the Dubai Desert Classic, a tournament he has won a record four times.
In 2009, then aged 20, he made his debut on the PGA TOUR - outside the Major Championships and WGCs - at the Honda Classic, finishing in a tie for 13th.
Later that year, he climbed into the top 10 on the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time.
2010
His first title on the PGA TOUR came at the Quail Hollow Championship in 2010, a title he has since won a further three times.
2012
Since he became World #1 for the first time in 2012, he has spent a cumulative 122 weeks at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking.
Alongside his six Majors, three WGCs and victory at the co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open, McIlroy has 11 further wins on the DP World Tour and 20 on the PGA TOUR.
Future
With his most recent win, he tied Sir Nick Faldo as the now two winningest European golfers in Majors, with six.
He has won the Harry Vardon Trophy seven times, awarded to the winner of the Race to Dubai on the DP World Tour, and three FedEx Cups, awarded to the PGA TOUR's leading season-long player.
Across his 68 appearances in Majors, since his debut as an amateur at The Open Championship in 2007, he has made the cut on 56 occasions and amassed 34 top tens, including four runner-ups. Since turning professional, he has missed just one Major - the 2015 Open Championship through injury.
Alongside his individual success, McIlroy has starred as a team player - winning six Ryder Cups since his debut at Celtic Manor in 2010.
Since losing his first match in the biennial matchplay contest - in fourballs - he has claimed 21.5 points from 38 matches in eight Ryder Cups.
EDIT >>> What is clear, if we needed his historic win this weekend, this is just the start of the Renaissance period of his career, free of pressure, he can now move on free of the crushing pressure all professionals feel when under the gun.
Here in his words : “I think the story as it relates to me is what do I do from now onwards?,” he said earlier in the week.
“What motivates me? What gets me going? What do I still want to achieve in the game? I think that's the story.
“And there's still a lot that I want to do. You think every time you achieve something or have success that you'll be happy, but then the goalposts move, and they just keep nudging a little bit further and further out of reach.
“I think what I've realised is, if you can just really find enjoyment in the journey, that's the big thing because honestly I felt like the career Grand Slam was my destination, and I got there, and then I realized it wasn't the destination !
I just won my sixth major, and I feel like I'm in a really good spot with my game and my body.
“I don't want to put a number on it, but I feel like this win is just -- I don't want to say a stop on the journey, but yeah, it's just a part of the journey. I still have things I want to achieve, but I still want to enjoy it as well.
“I've waited so long to win the Masters, and all of a sudden I win two in a row. So I still want to enjoy it. I've got a couple of weeks off before I go back to play competitive golf, but I don't think I'll go through that lull of motivation or the sort of things that I was feeling last year post winning this tournament.
“It took me 10 years to win my fifth major, and then my sixth one's come pretty soon after it. I'm not putting a number on it, but I certainly don't want to stop here.”
Only time will tell where McIlroy’s Major tally ends, but after his 2026 Masters victory, one thing is certain: he has no intention of letting it end now.
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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