Why Don’t I Feel Much When McIlroy Wins? And Other Masters Musings

At this point, on the Monday after Rory McIlroy finally, finally completed his career Grand Slam, I’m legitimately wondering if there’s something wrong with me.

Sure, I’m happy for him, but no more than I would’ve been if Justin Rose had snatched the green jacket in a playoff, or Ludvig Åberg had rallied for his first major.

Unlike most of my Millenial contemporaries — and there are plenty of them in today’s golf media — I never formed much of an emotional connection with McIlroy.

I have been always awed by his immense ball-striking skill, and as someone who takes fitness and longevity seriously, I’ve admired his continued mid-30s push to be one of the most powerful players in professional golf.

I also enjoy how much he tends to give those of us on the outside some insight into how and what he’s thinking. When it comes to big-picture issues, I don’t agree with him a ton, but McIlroy is so much more interesting in the press room than most pro athletes.

But I suppose it comes back to beginnings. When Rory was starting to assert himself as a worldwide star, I was still hanging onto the idea that my childhood hero Tiger Woods could still have a late-career renaissance. Of course, it turned out that Tiger did have that surge, but it took a lot longer than I expected or hoped.

All of that is to say that I didn’t want this kid from Northern Ireland taking over the sport. Even after McIlroy won four major championships in a three-year span, I kept my distance in terms of rooting interest. I was still a Tiger Guy.

Then, of course, came Rory’s countless failings in majors. (Fine, they weren’t countless. No less than 40 consecutive major championships came and went without another McIlroy victory.)

That truly epic drought only validated in my head that Rory was over-hyped and not the heir to Woods that seemingly every prominent golf voice desired. Throw in a five-major output by Brooks Koepka and the recent Scottie Scheffler victory binge and it was possible to argue that McIlroy wasn’t even the best player after Tiger’s prime.

But if I’m being honest, the past couple of years have revealed Rory to be back on top of the game again, even as his major shortcomings became more excruciating by the episode. I told anyone who asked prior to this year’s Masters that McIlroy should be the favorite. If I had to bet on the winner, I would’ve bet on him, with Bryson DeChambeau a close second.

So why do I find myself shaking my head at all the McIlroy joy I see out there in the golf universe? Maybe it was just the way he got it done.

Remember, I was raised on Tiger (almost) always pushing the ball across the goal line when he had the slightest bit of breathing room between him and the field. For all of the dramatic highlights we see of his victories, it’s easy to forget that the vast majority of his major wins were rather plodding in the end. He very rarely made a big mistake with the lead, knowing that the air gets mighty thin on those four big Sundays per year.

What we just witnessed at Augusta National Golf Club was the exact opposite of how Tiger used to do it. McIlroy certainly created his share of eye-popping approaches, but he mixed in so many misfires, mental errors and nervy putts that I found myself more bewildered than impressed when he brushed in that birdie on the first playoff hole.

Yesterday, Rory…
-had the lead on 1 tee.
-lost it by 3 tee.
-had it back by 5 tee.
-had a 4-shot lead on 11 tee.
-blew all of it by 15 tee.
-got it back on 16 tee.
-lost it again on 18 green.
-got it back 3 shots later.
Surprised he doesn't have a facial tic today.#Masters

— Rick Reilly (@ReillyRick) April 14, 2025

It’s said that they don’t ask how, they ask how many. To some degree that’s true, but for me it does matter how you do it, not just that you did it. And I don’t think I’m alone, at least when judging by the standard of greatness.

I don’t think it’s nn exaggeration to say his final round was unbecoming of a player of his stature. The accumulation of major miscues this decade combined with the number of times Rory tried to blow it this year — I counted seven in the final round! — just leaves me more matter-of-fact than most on his accomplishment.

Yes, Rory finally completed the set. The career Grand Slam belongs to him. But perhaps I like my sports greats to seem more invincible than that, or maybe I just don’t fall for the sappy stuff as much as I used to. (Call me cynical, but I’m not eager to eat up the ‘family man’ storyline less than a year after a divorce filing.)

Sunday was cinematic, but more from a Best Picture standpoint than Best Actor.

As for other post-Masters musings …

• Taking a sober look at it, there’s a very realistic chance McIlroy heads to our very own Oakmont in June halfway to the calendar Grand Slam. The PGA Championship next month is at Quail Hollow, where Rory has run roughshod: He has four career victories at the lengthy Charlotte track, including a four-shot win last spring. Not saying I’d take him over the field, but he’ll be tops on my betting board provided he’s not still hungover in four weeks.
• DeChambeau’s Sunday performance was a big letdown. I was anticipating an 18-hole showdown with McIlroy, but Bryson hit the eject button before Amen Corner was over with. His short game propped him up all week, probably artificially so. I should’ve been more skeptical considering he felt the need to hit about 1,000 balls on the Augusta practice range last week. His next YouTube challenge should be ‘Can I Hit a Green with a Short Iron?’
• I found myself pulling harder for Rose than I ever have, to the point that I scared my son with a shout when the Englishman rolled in his 10th birdie of the day on the 18th. Could be that, now that I’ve turned 40, I’m contractually obligated to root for fellow fortysomethings. Either way, Rose has grown on me with his late-career pluckiness.
• Speaking of being middle-aged, I’m still waiting for the Augusta-worship instinct to kick in. I doubt it ever happens for me. The course is awesome and the tournament delivers more often than it doesn’t, but the stuffy rules and the over-the-top adulation we’re pummeled with combine to turn my stomach past a certain point. I’ve always been a U.S. Open guy first and foremost, and that feeling’s never been stronger.
• Obviously, I’m a little biased this year because the Open is coming back to Pittsburgh! I’m happy to report that Zac Weiss and I have been approved for full on-site coverage by the USGA, so look for extensive pre-tournament coverage here on PGN as we lead up to Oakmont on Father’s Day weekend.