The 2018 Masters was Rory McIlroy’s best chance to complete the career grand slam, and though he was unable to pull off the victory, the 28-year-old is convinced that someday he will.
“It’ll happen,” McIlroy told CNN’s Shane O’Donoghue just weeks removed from the event. “I truly believe it’ll happen.”
McIlroy was just three shots back of Patrick Reed entering the final round, and even had multiple opportunities to narrow the margin early in his final round, but five bogeys kept him from contending. Reed made just three bogeys on the final day and shot 71 for a one shot win over Rickie Fowler.
“I got on to that first tee and I was quite nervous,” McIlroy said. “Even though I was three behind, I still felt like there was a little bit of pressure there for some reason…I just couldn’t get into my rhythm like I could the first three days.”
McIlroy would finish six shots back, tying for fifth. It was his fifth straight top 10 finish at the Masters, prompting the tantalizing question: is it encouraging that he’s shown success at Augusta, or disappointing that he hasn’t taken advantage of these close calls?
