Although the 1,600 azaleas at Augusta National are still some way from blooming into their intoxicating purple, February always brings the Masters into sharper focus.
In particular, this is when golfers begin contemplating one of the persistent narratives of the modern era: will Rory McIlroy finally win a Green Jacket and in doing so, become only the sixth man in history to complete the Grand Slam?
McIlroy’s Masters odds
At 9/1 in the latest outright Masters odds, the suggestion is that McIlroy is firmly in the frame to go all the way.
For better context, only Scottie Scheffler is better priced in the Masters’ golf betting odds with the American at 4/1 to make it three Green Jackets in just four years.
Notwithstanding McIlroy’s short odds, it’s important to say that it shouldn’t be assumed that if Scheffler misses out then the Northern Irishman will swoop in and win the Masters.
After all, having tried and failed to do so for the last 16 years, there are no guarantees that McIlroy has what it takes to solve one of golf’s greatest puzzles.
McIlroy’s Masters pain
The closest McIlroy came to winning the Masters was in 2011 when he held a four-shot lead at the end of round three. A shaky start over the front nine saw McIlroy give back three of those shots, meaning he entered the fabled back nine — when the tournament is said to truly begin — with a fragile one-shot lead.
By the time McIlroy sank his final putt on the 18th, he had carded an eight-over-par 80 which saw him finish in a tie for 15th place.
It was a haunting meltdown by anyone’s description and a tale of what could have been given that this was just McIlroy’s third attempt at the Masters after his debut at Augusta National in 2009.
The reality is that after so many near misses—four top-five finishes since 2011—14 years have passed since that final-round collapse and McIlroy has yet to right the wrongs. In other words, the mental scars from past failures may be what’s preventing the 35-year-old from taking those final steps toward golfing immortality.
To that end, it must also be considered that McIlroy may never win the Grand Slam. As it turns out, it wouldn’t be the first time someone has been unable to track down the treasures they seek on this iconic piece of real estate in central Georgia.
Augusta National’s elusive treasures
In 2022, the PGA Tour released a “nine things to know about Augusta National” feature with the first point being a strange story about a Spanish explorer in the 16th century named Hernando de Soto who dug up the land now home to Augusta National in hopes of finding gold and silver.
Unable to find his desired treasures, a dejected De Soto eventually abandoned his search. However, legends persist about hidden riches on the grounds—specifically, a spring nestled between the 13th and 14th holes. After significant rainfall, it is rumoured that traces of actual gold have been found in the spring.
While more on this claim can be found in David Owen’s The Making of the Masters, the broader point remains: this is a piece of land where men have spent their lives searching for elusive rewards that never seem to present themselves. Only time will tell if McIlroy’s exploits prove more rewarding than De Soto’s.
