AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy is reading a book this week, as he often does. But for the first time in a while, he admitted, he’s reading fiction. It’s a John Grisham legal thriller; a murder mystery called The Reckoning.

“It’s off to a pretty good start,” McIlroy said with a laugh.

And, oh, what McIlroy would give to get off to such a nice start himself this week at The Masters as he looks to finally complete the career grand slam.

McIlroy has been one of the best golfers on the planet for a decade, but he’s also gone winless at the majors since 2014. McIlroy’s 1-under 71 last year was his first under-par Thursday round at Augusta National in five years. He’s only shot in the 60s twice in his career in the first round of The Masters. 

A good start is set to mean a good omen for McIlroy, but it’s easier said than done.

“When you have a long career like I have had, luckily, you sort of just learn to roll with the punches, the good times, the bad times, knowing that if you do the right work and you practice the right way, that those disappointments will turn into good times again pretty soon,” McIlroy said. 

So far in 2025 it’s been all gas, no brakes for McIlroy. He’s won twice already — at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and in a playoff at The Players Championship. He’s also put together the best statistical body of work of anyone on the PGA Tour, leading in strokes gained: total and scoring average. 

And while McIlroy is already in sixth gear, some of his major contemporaries are still shifting into second or third. Xander Schauffele is shaking off the rust after an early-season rib injury and has only played six tournaments in his last seven months. Scottie Scheffler, meanwhile, is, of course, the defending champion and has won two green jackets in his last three years. He cut his hand making Christmas-time ravioli, however, and had a delayed start to his season. Scheffler has notched three top-10s already this year, but has hasn’t yet been in the mix late.

McIlroy hears the noise about whether or not this year will finally be the year for him to join golf’s most exclusive club. There are only five male golfers in the sport’s history to complete the grand slam.

“I need to treat this tournament like all the other tournaments that I play throughout the year,” McIlroy said.

“Look, I understand the narrative and the noise, and there’s a lot of anticipation and buildup coming into this tournament each and every year, but I just have to keep my head down and focus on my job.”

Not only does McIlroy have the two trophies so far this year, but at his last PGA Tour start, two weeks ago in Houston, he finished T5 on the back of weekend rounds of 65-64. And it’s not like McIlroy has played badly at Augusta National, either. He reeled off six top-10s in seven years between 2014-20 but has run a little hot and cold since, going MC-2-MC-T22. He also finished runner-up at the U.S. Open in both 2023 and 2024, so it’s not like we leave major championships thinking, “Where is Rory?”

McIlroy may never slip his arms into a green jacket. But this year, maybe he will.

Certainly, his play to this point has shown he is ready to compete at this major. He’s added a few shots to his arsenal and has a complete a game as anyone on the PGA Tour right now. He’s firmly separated himself from the distractions of the broken factions of men’s professional golf, too. He’s a joyful father, telling a story of how his daughter, Poppy, asked him if he was famous after his win at The Players (“As everyone knows that’s had children, it’s an amazing addition to life”).

He’s had these heartbreaks, but he’s never stopped going forward — that’s all you can do.

“It happens in all walks of life. At a certain point in someone’s life, someone doesn’t want to fall in love because they don’t want to get their heart broken. People, I think, instinctually as human beings, we hold back sometimes because of the fear of getting hurt, whether that’s a conscious decision or subconscious decision, and I think I was doing that on the golf course a little bit for a few years,” McIlroy said. “And I think […] it’s going through those times, especially in recent memory, where the last few years I’ve had chances to win some of the biggest golf tournaments in the world and it hasn’t quite happened.

“But life moves on. You dust yourself off and you go again.”

McIlroy and Scheffler are certainly the Nos. 1 and 2 guys this week — depending on who you ask — so let’s take a look at some other names with a chance.

Collin Morikawa (+1400): Morikawa has gone 5-T10-3 in his last three Masters, the only golfer other than Scheffler who has notched three straight top 10s. He is second to McIlroy on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: total for 2025.

Joaquin Niemann (+3000): Niemann received a special invite to compete this week from Augusta National, and with reason. He’s been on a tidy winning run around the globe over the last six months, with three titles since December. Niemann is also the only golfer on LIV to have positive strokes gained in every key category so far this year (hat tip: Ron Klos at Betsperts Golf).

Robert MacIntyre (+4500): The RBC Canadian Open winner has had four top-11 results in his last five starts, including at The Players. He’s also gaining strokes in four major categories and there’s something about lefties who play well at Augusta National. 

Corey Conners (+5000): The Canadian continues to be one of the best ball strikers on the planet and after a switch in putters earlier in 2025, Conners is now putting — statistically — better than ever. He has three top-10s at the Masters over his last five spins, and four top-10s already this season, matching his total from last year.

Sepp Straka (+5500): Three top-10s already this season including a win at The American Express and a T5 at Bay Hill. Straka is sixth on Tour in strokes gained: tee to green and ninth in driving accuracy. Worth a shout.

Sergio Garcia (+6600): Garcia has had a bit of a career resurgence in his mid-40s on LIV this year with a handful of solid finishes plus positive strokes gained in five of the six key categories. He continues to be one of the best ball strikers in the world, and if you’re looking for a tidy top-20 bet, don’t be afraid of the 2017 champ.

This year marks Bernhard Langer’s 41st and final Masters. The 67-year-old won the green jacket in 1985 and 1993… Angel Cabrera has made his return to Augusta National. The 2009 winner — who won on PGA Tour Champions last week — has spent the last two years in a prison in Argentina after making threats against a former partner (another ex-girlfriend came forward with a similar claim and Cabrera pled guilty)… There are 21 golfers making their Masters debut including Canadian Taylor Pendrith. Three of the rookies won PGA Tour events in 2025… This year marks the 10th anniversary of Jordan Spieth’s Masters victory. Spieth has been a bit feast-or-famine at Augusta National of late, having gone T3-MC-T4-MC his last four years… As is tradition, there are five amateurs teeing it up this week including Hiroshi Tai, who is the first golfer from Singapore to ever play The Masters. Tai won the NCAA DI men’s individual championship… Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard will make history as the first set of twins to play The Masters. They are the 19th set of brothers to play the tournament at the same time and the first since Italy’s Edoardo and Francesco Molinari from 2010-2012. This is Rasmus’ Masters debut, while Nicolai finished T16 last year… Max Homa, who finished T3 at the Masters last year but has been on a run of poor golf ever since, will no longer have long-time caddie Joe Greiner on his bag. They have been childhood friends, but Greiner said he wanted to break off their working relationship to preserve their friendship. However, Greiner hasn’t had to wait long for work. Justin Thomas’ caddie hurt his back and was unable to loop this week for the world No. 8, so he called Greiner to sub in… Augusta National and Tiger Woods announced Monday that Woods and his design firm would be designing “The Loop at The Patch,” a short-course adjacent to the 18-hole Augusta Municipal Golf Course, currently being renovated by Tom Fazio and Beau Welling. The 18-hole course is expected to open ahead of the 2026 Masters. Woods and his nonprofit, TGR Foundation, will also construct a TGR Learning Lab in Augusta, set to open in 2028… Augusta National announced Wednesday a new Player Services Building will be completed for 2026, “unlike anything else in sports,” according to Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley… There is one new menu item on the Masters iconic concessions list — a tomato pie. It’s a handheld pastry that’s kind of like an empanada. It costs $3.