Rory McIlroy has achieved numerous victories in his career, including three major championships, but the coveted green jacket from Augusta National remains elusive. This week, at the 89th Masters Tournament, he aims to finally secure it.
At 35 years old, McIlroy is entering the tournament in peak form, having already secured two PGA Tour wins this season. The question is, can he finally triumph at Augusta?
Here’s a summary of what you need to know, including his tee time, recent performance, and past Masters history.
When is Rory McIlroy`s Round 4 Tee Time?
McIlroy is set for a final-round face-off with Bryson DeChambeau, with their tee time scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. BST).
The first tee-off of the day is at 9:40 a.m. ET (2:50 p.m. BST).
How Has He Performed So Far?
McIlroy`s Round Scores:
Round 1: 72 (Even par)
It was a familiar narrative. McIlroy appeared comfortable for much of his first round, with birdies on holes 4, 8, 9, and 13 placing him among the leaders as he approached the 15th fairway. However, the momentum shifted.
McIlroy`s second shot on the 15th landed at the back of the green, and his subsequent chip shot had too much force, rolling past the hole and into the water. This resulted in a double bogey, but unfortunately, it wouldn`t be his last of the round.
Trouble reappeared around the 17th green when he misjudged another chip, leaving himself with significant work. He then three-putted, carding another double bogey and concluding the round at even par.
Round 2:
After a consistent yet unremarkable first nine holes, McIlroy ignited on the back nine. He gained crucial momentum with a brave eagle on the par-5 13th, putting him back in contention after a disappointing finish to Thursday`s opening round.
The Northern Irishman uncharacteristically struggled with his tee shot accuracy and found himself in the pine needles off the 13th tee.
He made a daring choice to aim directly at the flagstick with his second shot and showed visible relief when his ball cleared the tributary to Rae`s Creek.
The 35-year-old then successfully putted for a game-changing eagle, keeping his hopes of completing a career Grand Slam alive.
Round 3:
McIlroy surged to the top of the Masters leaderboard on Saturday with an electrifying third round that included two eagles.
McIlroy began his round spectacularly, going birdie-eagle-birdie, becoming the first player to start a Masters round with six consecutive threes. This performance propelled him past overnight leader Justin Rose in ideal scoring conditions.
After starting the day three strokes behind Rose, McIlroy led by as many as four on the front nine but cooled slightly around the turn with bogeys on the eighth and tenth holes.
He birdied the 13th to regain momentum, and his impressive approach shot on the par-5 15th set up a six-foot eagle putt, which he calmly sank to re-establish his four-stroke lead.
McIlroy`s Season Performance
McIlroy is arguably in his best form ever leading into a Masters. He has already secured two victories this season: the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February and a playoff victory over JJ Spaun at The Players Championship last month.
Here are his finishes in each event this season:
- Dubai Desert Classic: Tied for 4th (-12)
- AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Champion (-21)
- Genesis Open: Tied for 17th (-3)
- Arnold Palmer Invitational: Tied for 15th (-3)
- The Players Championship: Champion (-13, via playoff)
- Houston Open: Tied for 5th (-15)
McIlroy`s Masters History
His history at the Masters has been a mix of highs and lows. Augusta, Georgia, has been the stage for some of McIlroy`s most memorable and challenging moments.
In 2011, at just 21, he entered the final round with a four-shot lead only to experience a devastating back-nine collapse. He later described that day as the `most important` of his career, as he went on to win his first major at the US Open that summer.
He has also had impressive rounds, such as in 2015 when he was 2-under through 36 holes before surging over the weekend with rounds of 68 and 66 to finish fourth. His best finish was in 2022, where a final-round 8-under 64 propelled him to solo second place.
Here’s a summary of his finishes in his 16 Masters appearances:
- 2009 – Tied for 20th
- 2010 – Missed Cut
- 2011 – Tied for 15th
- 2012 – Tied for 40th
- 2013 – Tied for 25th
- 2014 – Tied for 8th
- 2015 – 4th
- 2016 – Tied for 10th
- 2017 – Tied for 7th
- 2018 – Tied for 5th
- 2019 – Tied for 21st
- 2020 – Tied for 5th
- 2021 – Missed Cut
- 2022 – 2nd
- 2023 – Missed Cut
- 2024 – Tied for 22nd
Latest Masters News and Analysis:
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