HAS a dominant efficiency, at one among golf’s iconic venues, given Rory McIlroy the arrogance to say an elusive main championship victory in 2025?
McIlroy was spectacular at Pebble Seashore and Spyglass Hill on the AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am, his energy and precision there for all to see, and when mixed with a cooperative putter, he proved too good for the competitors at one of many PGA TOUR’s signature occasions.
It was the 35-year-old’s twenty seventh PGA TOUR triumph, together with his 21 underneath par complete ending two-shots away from fellow Northern Irishman Shane Lowry.
The week started with a bang, McIlroy making a hole-in-one on the fifteenth gap enroute to a 66 at Spyglass Hill, earlier than scores of 70-65 and 66 at Pebble, and regardless of a lot of the final three days being performed in foul climate, it was the second-lowest rating relative to par on the AT&T Professional-Am since 1983.
“Clearly, couldn’t want for a greater begin for my PGA TOUR season,” McIlroy expressed. “I’ve been on a pleasant run of kind since final fall. I’ve performed some actually good golf and continued that into this yr.”
Whereas with a watch to profitable a few of golf’s largest occasions, ticking the field with a victory at Pebble Seashore was notably vital for McIlroy.
“There’s some venues in our sport that simply imply somewhat bit greater than others and that’s most likely to do with the historical past and the those who gained on these programs and what these individuals have meant to the sport of golf,” he mentioned.
“I’ve had a number of shut calls at St. Andrews, which is one other a type of essential venues in our sport. Augusta Nationwide being one other one. So, to have the ability to get a win on a type of iconic venues is superior.
“(However Pebble Seashore was) a really totally different check this week than what you’d usually anticipate at a U.S. Open, so acquired to take it with somewhat little bit of a pinch of salt.”
After this most up-to-date win McIlroy was eagerly anticipating what lay forward whereas conveying a perception he might carry out in all situations and on probably the most difficult of golf programs.
“I simply assume extra that my sport can journey, I can win on totally different venues, totally different exams, agency programs, comfortable programs, windy, calm, rain, lengthy golf programs, brief golf programs. Something that I really feel is thrown my manner within the sport I really feel like I’m ready to deal with it,” McIlroy mentioned.
And he will get his first likelihood to show the religion he has in his potential is warranted when he tees it up in early April on the 2025 US Masters.
The final of McIlroy’s 4 main victories got here on the US PGA Championship in 2014, representing a drought of greater than a decade, and whereas he has threatened to interrupt via, success at Augusta has alluded him, a second-placing in 2022 his finest consequence.
McIlroy has performed within the US Masters on 16 events, with seven high 10’s.
Nevertheless, whereas his energy sport seems suited to Augusta, maybe the US Open is the place his subsequent main title will come, with McIlroy extremely recording high 10’s in every of his final 10 begins, together with consecutive runners-up finishes.
He had his probabilities in 2024, solely to stumble on the remaining hurdle with Bryson DeChambeau victorious, whereas he was overwhelmed by one shot by Wyndam Clark on the LA Nation Membership the yr prior.
Earlier than the US Open, this yr to be performed at Oakmont Nation Membership in Pennsylvania, comes the PGA Championship, with Quail Hole the host venue.
Of all 4 majors this yr, a win at The Open Championship would possibly simply be the one McIlroy covets probably the most, with the match to be contested at Royal Portrush in Northern Eire, little question a format with which he’s extraordinarily acquainted.
McIlroy has promised a lot earlier than, solely to disappoint, and once more has he given his followers false hope together with his spectacular efficiency at Pebble Seashore in early February?
Beginning at Augusta in April, {the golfing} world is about to seek out out if Rory is prepared for main success in 2025.
Rory McIlroy reality file
• His twenty seventh profession PGA TOUR title got here in his 258th begin on the age of 35 years, 8 months, 29 days
• The win noticed him transfer to twenty second on the all-time PGA TOUR wins checklist
• The victory represented his eighth consecutive season with a win on the PGA TOUR
• On the AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am McIlroy led the sphere in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (5.970) and Driving Distance (336.7)
