Rory McIlroy's Path to Glory: A Look Back at His Six Major Victories

Rory McIlroy has made history with his record-breaking victories, career Grand Slam, and back-to-back wins at The Masters. Let's revisit his six major titles and the journey that led him to become one of golf's all-time greats. McIlroy's first major win came in 2011 at Congressional Country Club, where he dominated the tournament with rounds of 65 and 66, setting the largest 36-hole lead in US Open history. He went on to shatter Tiger Woods' tournament scoring record, ending the week on 16 under and securing an eight-shot victory over Jason Day. In 2012, McIlroy won his second major at Kiawah Island, breaking Jack Nicklaus' record for the largest winning margin in PGA Championship history. This victory cemented his position as the youngest player to achieve two major wins since Woods. At Royal Liverpool in 2014, McIlroy achieved a wire-to-wire victory, laying the foundations with a bogey-free opening round. He extended his lead with a 66 in the second round and a 68 in the third, including two eagles in his last three holes. Despite a brief challenge from Sergio Garcia, McIlroy secured the Claret Jug with a two-shot win. That summer, McIlroy added a WGC-Bridgestone Invitational title to his collection before securing his fourth major success with a narrow win at Valhalla Golf Club. He regained the world No 1 spot and took a one-shot lead into the final round, birdieing three of the last four holes to set up a stunning eagle and birdie finish. After an 11-year wait, McIlroy closed out a memorable, maiden Masters triumph in 2025 via a rollercoaster final round and dramatic play-off at Augusta National. He double-bogeyed the opening hole on Sunday but took control of the tournament before dropping four shots in a four-hole stretch. A remarkable approach shot and two-putt birdie at the 15th, followed by another birdie at the 17th, gave him a one-shot buffer heading to the 72nd hole. McIlroy made amends in the play-off, setting up a close-range birdie chance and converting it to spark emotional celebrations. This victory made him the sixth player to complete the men's career Grand Slam, joining Woods, Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Gene Sarazen. In 2026, McIlroy went back-to-back at The Masters, becoming the fourth player to achieve this feat and the first since Woods in 2001 and '02. After taking a six-shot lead into the weekend, McIlroy's advantage evaporated by Saturday evening, but he responded with back-to-back birdies to regain the lead. Despite a challenge from Rose and Scheffler, McIlroy closed out a narrow one-shot win with a two-putt bogey at 18. Will McIlroy enjoy more major success? Watch The Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open exclusively live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW.