It did not take Rory McIlroy long to establish himself among the elite on the PGA Tour.
The native of North Ireland earned his first major victory at the age of 22. Three years later, he became the third player in history to win four majors by the age of 25.
While McIlroy has won plenty on the tour since then, a major championship has not been one of them. It looked like he was certainly well on his way to securing a Grand Slam — winning all four majors — but that fourth and final victory to complete the circuit has evaded him.
McIlroy is still in his prime at 35. He currently is the No. 3 golfer in the world and already has picked up one win so far in 2024, coming at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow. He's aiming to pick up his second at the 2024 U.S. Open.
Here is what to know about McIlroy's major history and which tournament he still needs to win for a Grand Slam.
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When was the last time Rory McIlroy won a major?
It's been almost a decade since the last time McIlroy earned a win at a major tournament. In 2014, the Northern Irishman emerged victorious at the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.
He trailed by one stroke after the first round, but he moved into sole possession of first place after the first 36 holes. Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, and Henrick Stenson all made a run at McIlroy in the final round, while the group also battled the pending darkness at Valhalla. It made for an enticing and dramatic finish, but a par on the 18th hole secured McIlroy's first-place finish, winning the PGA Championship for the second time. He shot 16-under at the competition.
How many majors has Rory McIlroy won?
McIlroy has won a major four times in his career, including two in the same year.
- U.S. Open (2011)
- PGA Championship (2012, 2014)
- British Open (2014)
McIlroy won his first major in 2011 at the U.S. Open, winning by eight strokes to run away with the tournament. He followed his success with his win at the PGA Championship in 2012.
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In 2014, he won his third and fourth majors back-to-back, securing victories at the British Open and PGA Championship.
Tournament | Score to par | Winning margin |
2011 U.S. Open | 16 under | 8 strokes |
2012 PGA Championship | 13 under | 8 strokes |
2014 British Open | 17 under | 2 strokes |
2014 PGA Championship | 16 under | 1 stroke |
What major has Rory McIlroy not won?
In his trophy case, McIlroy has a Claret Jug (British Open), a Wanamaker Trophy (PGA Championship), and a U.S. Open Trophy. The one thing he's missing is a green jacket.
McIlroy has yet to win the Masters. He first competed at the major in 2009, however, his best finish is second place in 2022, with Scottie Scheffler denying him the career Grand Slam.
He has participated in the event every year since his debut and he has logged seven top-10 finishes in those 15 appearances.
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Here are McIlroy's results at Augusta by year:
Year | Finish | Score to par |
2009 | T-20 | 2 under |
2010 | Missed cut | 7 over |
2011 | T-15 | 4 under |
2012 | T-40 | 5 over |
2013 | T-25 | 2 over |
2014 | T-8 | Even |
2015 | 4 | 12 under |
2016 | T-10 | 1 over |
2017 | T-7 | 3 under |
2018 | T-5 | 9 under |
2019 | T-21 | 5 under |
2020 | T-5 | 11 under |
2021 | Missed cut | 6 over |
2022 | 2 | 7 under |
2023 | Missed cut | 5 over |
2024 | T-22 | 4 over |