All 5 Of Rory McIlroy’s Major Wins… Including The Career Grand Slam

After turning professional in 2007, Rory McIlroy soon made a big impression. He won his first Major in 2011 and by the end of 2014 had racked up four of the game's biggest titles. It was a long time before he experienced the feeling again, but it was worth the wait...

Here are the details of how McIlroy achieved his five Major victories.

2011 - US Open

McIlroy had already served the world notice of his generational talent in 2009 when he won the Dubai Desert Classic before proving his worth on the big stage, finishing T10 in the US Open. He then performed even better in the PGA Championship, finishing T3.

However, it was in 2011 when a fresh-faced McIlroy claimed his first Major - and in some style, cruising to victory in the US Open at Congressional.

McIlroy started well and kept going. He found himself three ahead of Charl Schwartzel and YE Yang after the first round, and he extended the lead to six after the second despite a double bogey to complete proceedings. McIlroy followed that up with a 68 on the Saturday to extend his lead to eight, and he was in no mood to let that slip in the final round, carding a 69 to finish on 16-under and beat Jason Day by eight.

McIlroy was so dominant that he broke no fewer than 11 tournament records over the weekend.

2012 - PGA Championship

While McIlroy was nothing short of brilliant in the 2011 US Open, he didn't initially carry that form into the 2012 Majors, beginning with a T40 at The Masters. He then missed the cut defending his US Open title, and finished T60 at The Open. However, he soon offered a reminder of his ability in the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island.

Rounds of 67 and 75 after the first two days saw McIlroy T5 and in contention, before another 67 in a weather-affected third round saw him sweep into a three-shot lead ahead of Carl Pettersson in a round he finished on the Sunday.

He then carried that form into the final round later that day, carding a 66 to win by a record eight shots (bettering Jack Nicklaus’ seven-shot win in 1980). That included a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole, confirming that McIlroy was a man for the big occasion and handing him the Wanamaker Trophy.

2014 - The Open

McIlroy had a relatively subdued Major year in 2013, although he played well in the PGA Championship, finishing T8. However, in 2014, he took things to another level with two of the four titles.

Once again, McIlroy’s opening performances in that year’s Majors didn’t really hint at what was to come, with a T8 at Augusta National and a T23 in the US Open at Pinehurst No.2.

That all changed in July, when McIlroy stamped his authority on The Open at Royal Liverpool from the start. He had a one-shot lead going into the second round and never looked back, extending it to four over Dustin Johnson by the end of the second day. That became six over Rickie Fowler going into the final round, where a 71 was enough for McIlroy to win by two and claim the Claret Jug.

2014 - PGA Championship

A month later, McIlroy's year got even better in the PGA Championship at Valhalla, although on that occasion, it was a tighter contest, as he opened up a one-shot lead at the halfway stage.

McIlroy then carded rounds of 67 and 68 to win the title for the second time, with Phil Mickelson runner-up and one behind. After the tournament, five-time PGA Championship winner, Jack Nicklaus had seen enough - he was convinced Rory was heading for true greatness, saying: "Rory is an unbelievable talent. I think Rory has an opportunity to win 15 or 20 Majors or whatever he wants to do if he wants to keep playing.”

2025 - The Masters

There were many near misses in the next 11 years, but despite Nicklaus' prediction, by the start of the 2025 Masters, McIlroy had yet to add to his Major haul.

That was days away from changing. McIlroy was brilliant in his opening round, before two double-bogeys late on undid much of his hard work to finish the day even-par, a distant seven behind leader Justin Rose.

He needed something virtually flawless in the second round, and he found it, with a 66 to end the day just two back. It got even better for McIlroy in the third round, when another brilliant 66 took him two clear of Bryson DeChambeau as the chance to finally claim the Green Jacket opened up.

Typical of McIlroy, it was far from straightforward, with a rollercoaster round featuring six birdies, three bogeys and another two double-bogeys culminating in a playoff with Rose.

Finally, on the first extra hole, McIlroy holed the decisive putt to claim his fifth Major title and join Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazan, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to win the career Grand Slam.