- Rory McIlroy had won four majors, but it had been 11 years since his last major win, the PGA Championship in 2014.
- McIlroy held off Justin Rose to win in a playoff at Augusta National to win the Masters and complete the career Grand Slam.
- His sports psychologist said it was part of their plan to not speak to playing partner Bryson DeChambeau during the final round.
Rory McIlroy was going to go down as one of the greatest golfers ever putting a tee in the ground at the 2025 Masters. However, the Northern Irishman needed the Green Jacket to complete the career Grand Slam and cement his place among the legends of the game.
McIlroy held on during a thrilling final round to win. Playing partner Bryson DeChambeau said after the round that McIlroy didn’t speak to him, and McIlroy’s psychologist said that was part of the plan.
Sports Psychologist Says McIlroy’s Plan Was Silence, Regardless of Playing Partner
In an interview with DeChambeau, the LIV player claimed that McIlroy never spoke to him, even as the two signed their scorecards.
However, it all seemed to be part of the plan. McIlroy’s sports psychologist, Bob Rotella, revealed to the BBC that was the system they decided on ahead of the tournament.
“That didn’t have anything to do with Bryson. That was just the game plan all week, and we wanted to get lost in it.
We didn’t want to pay attention to what anyone else was scoring or shooting or swinging or how far they were hitting it. We just wanted Rory to play his game.”
It doesn’t seem to matter who McIlroy was playing with in the final round, but it got extra attention because of what happened last June. DeChambeau won the U.S. Open, but it was notable because McIlroy missed a couple of short putts coming down the stretch.
McIlroy probably wasn’t in much of a speaking mood in the scorer’s trailer after 72 holes, as a bogey on the final hole put McIlroy in a playoff with Justin Rose. But McIlroy hit a great tee shot as the two played the 18th hole again, put his iron close and hit a short putt to win the Masters.
Can Rory McIlroy Win More Majors This Year?
Rotella also said:
“My guess is that he will go on and win quite a few more. I think he’s thinking of having a multiple-win season.”
This is in reference to the majors, now that he has the Grand Slam, which he was chasing for 11 years. Golf betting sites also think the same. McIlroy is now favored at the PGA Championship, which will be played at Quail Hollow, the site of his first win in May 2010, and where he’s won four times in total. He’s co-favored with Scottie Scheffler to win the U.S. Open at Oakmont, where he missed the cut in 2016.
McIlroy is also favored at the British Open at Royal Portrush, where he missed the cut in 2019. However, Portrush is in his native country of Northern Ireland, and McIlroy should be more relaxed after the career Grand Slam has been checked off his resume. McIlroy is also just behind Scheffler in the favorites to win the Masters in 2026. Finally, you can find odds on how many majors he’ll win in 2025.
It’s setting up to be a banner year for the player from Holywood, Northern Ireland. If he fulfills his potential, McIlroy could end up with the calendar Grand Slam as well!