How many golf majors has Rory McIlroy won? Previous Open, US Open and PGA wins as Brit impresses at St Andrews

The Northern Irishman has started well at the 150th Open Championship as he looks to win the Claret Jug for a second time.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Rory McIlroy got off to a flying start on day one of the 2022 Open at St Andrews by finishing the day six under par to sit second on the leaderboard.

The 33-year old is looking to finally return from the golfing wilderness and win his first major championship since 2014 - the most successful year of his career to date.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Having won his first major in 2011, the Northern Irishman went on to win three more in the next three years but has not claimed victory since.

However, 2022 has been a strong year so far and McIlroy was able to finish second at The Masters which is the one major trophy he has yet to win in his career.

Here is a look back at the British star’s four previous golf major wins including his success at the 2014 Open:

The US Open (2011)

McIlroy turned professional in 2007 and came close to major success on two occasions in 2010 when he tied for third at the Open and missed out on a play-off in the PGA Championship by one stroke.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He didn’t have to wait long though and was lifting one of the four prestigious titles the next year when he won the 111th U.S. Open at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.

The Northern Irishman finished a whopping eight strokes ahead of second place Jason Day and set an incredible 11 US Open records including lowest total score and lowest score under par.

He also became just the fifth player in US Open history to score under par in all four rounds, having topped the leaderboard after day one and held on to top spot throughout.

PGA Championship (2012)

A second major championship followed the next year when McIlroy won the 94th PGA Championship at the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Once again it was an eight stroke winning margin with a score of 13 under par.

After finishing the first round tied for second on -5 he dropped three shots on day two and was tied for fifth on -2.

However, a third round -4 and bogey free fourth round secured the victory and his second major championship as talk of a potential grand slam began.

The Open (2014)

Having had a year to forget in 2013, McIlroy was able to win his third major championship at Royal Liverpool when he picked up his first, and so far only, Claret Jug.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He finished two strokes ahead of runners-up Rickie Fowler and Sergio García, and became only the sixth player in history to win the championship, having been the sole leader after each round.

The Northern Irishman also became the first ever European to win three different major championships and the third to win three majors by the age of 25 (since The Masters was introduced in 1934) following in the footsteps of all time greats Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

PGA Championship (2014)

After his success at The Open he would go on to make 2014 a bumper year by winning his fourth major championship and second PGA Championship.

It was a narrow winning margin, finishing just one stroke ahead of runner-up Phil Mickelson, with a score of -16.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The competition was played at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky as McIlroy managed to hold off the American on the final day and make a par on the 18th hole to avoid a play-off and secure the title.

Since his win in Kentucky the major titles have dried up for the Northern Irishman and The Masters has remained elusive, denying him a historic grand slam.

However, hopes have been renewed this year after improved finishes, including second at Augusta, and a second Open win looks like a real possibility.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.