Rory McIlroy Has Come Close To A Green Jacket On Multiple Occasions... Here Are His 4 Closest Calls

The question of when Rory McIlroy will win a Green Jacket has been floating around for over a decade and, since his Masters debut in 2009, the four-time Major winner has come close on several occasions.

Having won two PGA Championships in 2012 and 2014, as well as the US Open in 2011 and Open Championship in 2014, The Masters is the one Major that alludes McIlroy from his career Grand Slam.

Posting seven top 10s throughout multiple Masters appearances, McIlroy has been within touching distance of a first Green Jacket a handful of times and, ahead of 2025, we have taken a look at his close calls throughout the years gone by.

2011 Masters

We start with, arguably, the most infamous and gut-wrenching close call, which came in McIlroy's third appearance at Augusta National.

Following rounds of 65, 69 and 70, the then 21-year-old led by four strokes going into the final round and, after a one-over front nine, still maintained his advantage going into the final nine holes.

However, a triple bogey at the 10th and a four-putt double bogey on the 12th led to a final round 80. He finished ten strokes back in a tie for 15th place.

Although the defeat would have hurt, McIlroy redeemed himself at the very next Major, the US Open, claiming a dominant eight shot victory.

2016 Masters

Following a two-under first round of 70, McIlroy then fired a one-under 71 to sit at three-under, just one back of leader Jordan Spieth.

Paired with the defending champion on Saturday, and in tough conditions, McIlroy would card a five-over-par 77 that didn't include a single birdie. This dropped him well down the leaderboard, some five shots back of Spieth.

Famously, the American would collapse over the back nine on Sunday, with Danny Willett coming from five shots back to win the title. In terms of McIlroy, his one-under final round meant he finished six back of Willett, with the third round becoming a 'what-if' moment for the four-time Major winner.

2018 Masters

After rounds of 69, 71 and an impressive seven-under 65, it seemed that McIlroy was taking serious momentum into the final round and, just three back of Patrick Reed, the Northern Irishman found himself in the final group.

In a repeat of the duo's epic clash at the Ryder Cup two years earlier, McIlroy moved within one of the American early in the round and it appeared the charge was fully on.

However, a barrage of bogeys meant he was four back going into the back nine and, unable to get it going over the final nine holes, McIlroy carded a two-over round of 74 and finished tied for fifth, six shots behind Reed.

The tie for fifth was his fifth straight top 10 at The Masters.

2022 Masters

The 2022 Masters is, currently, McIlroy's best finish at any event at Augusta National, with the then 32-year-old producing a Masters record for the lowest final-round score.

Going into Sunday, McIlroy was 10 shots back of 54-hole leader Scottie Scheffler and, with four birdies on the front nine, the Northern Irishman chipped in for birdie at the 10th, eagled the par-5 13th and, famously, holed out from the greenside bunker at the 18th.

The eight-under 64 meant he was five back of Scheffler and, despite the American four-putting the last, he finished three shots clear of McIlroy in solo second.

Rory McIlroy Masters Record