Scottie Scheffler arrived at Augusta as the odds-on favorite to win the 2024 Masters, but you don't have to look far down the list to find Rory McIlroy's name.
It's been quite a while since McIlroy last won a major, but the 34-year-old positioned himself as a prime contender at some of this year's biggest events by putting together a resurgent couple of years. He finished top-10 in all four majors in 2022 and did the same in three of 2023's four majors, including a narrow loss to Wyndham Clark in the U.S. Open.
McIlroy has competed in each of the last 14 Masters Tournaments, so he knows his way around Augusta National. That experience could very well pay off as he goes up against the world's best.
Here's a closer look at McIlroy's history at the Masters, including his best finishes.
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Has Rory McIlroy won the Masters?
McIlroy has never won the Masters despite a few close calls over the years. The Masters is the only major McIlroy hasn't won in his impressive career.
While McIlroy put forth a strong year in majors last year, he didn't have his finest moments at the Masters. McIlroy missed the cut after a rain-soaked second round, failing to build on a strong showing in 2022.
An experienced golfer can push a disappointing result out of their mind after a certain point, and McIlroy looked refreshed when he finished tied for seventh at the PGA Championship a month later.
This time, he's coming to Augusta with some momentum after finishing third at the Valero Texas Open. Whether he can turn the success of the past two years into the most meaningful win of his career could be one of the dominant storylines at the Masters this weekend.
Rory McIlroy best Masters finish
McIlroy finished second at the 2022 Masters, marking the best finish of his career in the prestigious tournament.
McIlroy's second-place finish behind Scheffler was sandwiched by disappointing showings in 2021 and 2023, when he missed the cut. McIlroy has seven top-10 finishes in his Masters career, including five consecutive from 2014-2018.
Here's a complete look at McIlroy's Masters history:
| Year | Finish |
| 2010 | Cut |
| 2011 | T-15th |
| 2012 | T-40th |
| 2013 | T-25th |
| 2014 | T-8th |
| 2015 | 4th |
| 2016 | T-10th |
| 2017 | T-7th |
| 2018 | T-5th |
| 2019 | T-21st |
| 2020 | T-5th |
| 2021 | Cut |
| 2022 | 2nd |
| 2023 | Cut |
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When was the last time Rory McIlroy won a major?
McIlroy has had numerous close calls at both the Masters and other majors over the years, but he now hasn't won a major in a decade. McIlroy's last major championship came at the PGA Championship in 2014, coming just a month after he won the Open Championship.
McIlroy has four major wins in his career, the first of which came at the U.S. Open in 2011. He won the PGA Championship in 2012 before winning his two most recent majors in 2014.
It's extremely difficult to win a major, let alone four, but it would be fair to call the past nine years heartbreaking for McIlroy. He's had a whopping 20 top-10 finishes at majors since the drought began in 2015, including three instances as the runner-up, but a fifth major championship has eluded the 34-year-old.
The 2024 Masters has a chance to erase some of that heartbreak, whether that comes in Augusta or elsewhere on the major calendar.
