Has Rory McIlroy ever won The Masters? His highest finish at Augusta Championship, tee time, record

Rory McIlroy has had his dreams of winning The Masters shattered for another year.

McIlroy, who finished runner-up to Scottie Scheffler last year, never got going at the tournament from the moment he tee’d off on Thursday (6 April). After a disappointing start, his struggles continued in the second round and he has failed to make the cut.

Prior to the tournament, Northern Ireland golfer spoke about how he felt his final round in 2022 proved he has what it takes to claim the title at Augusta National, which would be his first major win since 2014. Speaking earlier in the week, he said: “I think you have to go through everything.

“Not every experience is going to be a good experience. I think that would lead to a pretty boring life. You have to learn from those challenges and learn from some of that scar tissue that’s built up. I felt last year that I maybe shed some of that scar tissue and felt like I sort of made breakthroughs.

“I’m feeling as relaxed as I ever have coming in here just in terms of I feel like my game is in a pretty good place. I know the place just as about as well as anyone.”

Has Rory McIlroy won The Masters before?

The golfer has had a sparkling career littered with trophy wins since entering the professional circuit in 2007. But he has yet to pull on the famous green jacket at the Augusta National. It is the only major he has yet to win.

What is Rory McIlroy’s best finish at Augusta National?

McIlroy has been chasing victory at The Masters throughout his career. He has had a mixed record at the tournament but has seen a steady improvement on finishes over the last decade.

The Northern Ireland golfer’s best finish at the Augusta National came in 2022 when he finished second behind Scottie Scheffler. He had previouslt finished 4th in 2015 as well as coming in the top five in 2018 and 2020.

McIlroy was in the lead at The Masters in 2011 heading into the final day but his spectacular collapse saw him drop all the way down to T15 with a disasterous round of 80.

Did he make the cut?

Rory McIlroy did not make the cut at the end of the weather disrupted second round and his tournament is done for another year.

Which majors has Rory McIlroy won?

The golfer won his first major in 2011, lifting the U.S. Open title - just months after his collapse at The Masters that same year. He went on to win the PGA Championship in 2012.

In 2014 he won The Open Championship for the first time before claiming his second PGA title as well. He has not won a major title since 2014.

What has Rory McIlroy said pre-tournament?

Speaking ahead of the Augusta National, he said: “I think you have to go through everything. Not every experience is going to be a good experience. I think that would lead to a pretty boring life. You have to learn from those challenges and learn from some of that scar tissue that’s built up.

“I felt last year that I maybe shed some of that scar tissue and felt like I sort of made breakthroughs. I’m feeling as relaxed as I ever have coming in here just in terms of I feel like my game is in a pretty good place. I know the place just as about as well as anyone.”

Key factors for McIlroy to challenge

One key for McIlroy will be making a better start than he has done in recent years, when he has often left himself with do much to do on a course where it is difficult to chase a deficit. An opening 69 in 2018 helped McIlroy launch a title challenge which led to a place in the last group with Patrick Reed in the final round, but has been followed since by first round scores of 73, 75, 76 and 73.

“I’ve always felt like I have the physical ability to win this tournament,” McIlroy said. “But it’s being in the right head space to let those physical abilities shine through. It’s been tentative starts, not putting my foot on the gas early enough. I’ve had a couple of bad nine holes that have sort of thrown me out of the tournament at times.

“I’ve got all the ingredients to make the pie. It’s just putting all those ingredients in and setting the oven to the right temperature and letting it all sort of come to fruition.”

But his slow starts continued and he failed to make the cut for the third round.