Rory McIlroy living the dream at Quail Hollow with career Grand Slam complete

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – Having achieved the rare feat of a career Grand Slam, Rory McIlroy believes that he has attained everything in golf he ever dreamed of and will not be burdened by any number-specific goals going forward.

The five-time Major champion was a picture of contentment on May 14 while talking to reporters at Quail Hollow Club on the eve of the PGA Championship, knowing his golf bingo card is complete.

“I have achieved everything that I’ve wanted – I’ve done everything I’ve wanted to do in the game,” said the 36-year-old, who has won this event twice.

“I dreamed as a child of becoming the best player in the world and winning all the Majors. I’ve done that.

“Everything beyond this, for however long I decide to play the game competitively, is a bonus.”

McIlroy’s quest for an elusive Masters title had consumed him and become a tiring and burdensome decade-long narrative each year the Northern Irishman arrived at Augusta National for the year’s first Major.

When his winning putt dropped on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off in April, a visibly moved and emotional McIlroy dropped to his knees and cried, releasing years of pent-up pressure and expectations.

“I feel like I sort of burdened myself with the career Grand Slam stuff, and I want to enjoy this,” said McIlroy, who had earlier committed to playing in the Australian Open for the next two years.

“I want to enjoy what I’ve achieved, and I want to enjoy the last decade or whatever of my career, and I don’t want to burden myself by numbers or statistics. I just want to go and try to play the best golf I can.”

McIlroy was also asked about US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau expressing shock that the Northern Irishman, his playing partner for the Masters, never talked to him during the final round.

“I don’t know what he was expecting. We’re trying to win the Masters. I’m not going to try to be his best mate out there,” McIlroy said. “I was focused on myself and what I needed to do. That’s really all that it was. It wasn’t anything against him.”

This year’s PGA Championship is being contested on a course where McIlroy has won four times, more than any other golfer.

But world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and LIV Golf’s DeChambeau will try to keep the veteran from securing the second leg of the calendar-year Grand Slam. They arrive in solid form having both won their last starts.

After his season debut was delayed due to hand surgery following an accident while making ravioli, Scheffler is coming off a runaway Byron Nelson triumph at TPC Craig Ranch, where he matched the PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record with a 31-under total.

Fan favourite DeChambeau, who briefly held the lead early in the final round of the Masters, is riding high after a win at the LIV Golf Korea event on May 4 that marked his first victory since capturing the 2024 US Open.

World No. 5 Justin Thomas has also rounded into form right on time for his return to the site of his Major breakthrough in 2017, while Jordan Spieth makes his ninth attempt at completing the career Grand Slam.

Two-time champion Thomas ended his three-year victory drought in April at the RBC Heritage in South Carolina to also put himself in the conversation at Quail Hollow, a venue which holds many fond memories for him.

“The storylines since Augusta, I’m sure, are remarkable, whether it’s Rory, Justin Thomas, Scottie, Bryson,” ESPN’s Scott van Pelt said on a conference call.

“You’ve got multiple Major winners, all of whom have won from Augusta through last weekend. You couldn’t ask for much more in terms of storylines.”

Spieth will try to become only the seventh golfer to secure the career Grand Slam and appears to be in good form with three top-10 finishes in 11 starts in 2025, while Xander Schauffele will look to become the event’s first repeat winner since Brooks Koepka in 2019. REUTERS