Rory McIlroy has been sensational since returning to the world No. 1 ranking in 2014, winning three times and accumulating four runner-up finishes and three other top-10 finishes during that 14-tournament stretch. He'll be aiming to continue that trend in the 2015 Masters, completing the career Grand Slam in the process.
Should McIlroy emerge victorious following 72 grueling holes at Augusta National, he'll join the company of legends, as only six golfers—Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods—have ever achieved the massive feat of winning all four majors.
During a press conference, via ESPN.com, McIlroy shared his thoughts on what's at stake:
What's at stake? A place in history. I think it's the big thing for me. Six other golfers have won a career Grand Slam. To join that list, you're getting up there with the pinnacle of what you can achieve in sport.
To write your name in the history books like that is what's at stake. That's what will be at stake in future years at Augusta if I don't win it this year, but the sooner I get it out of the way, the better.
If McIlroy does earn his first green jacket this year, he'll become the first player to complete the career Grand Slam since Tiger Woods did so in 2000. That's an interesting fact considering Nike released a brilliant commercial depicting the passing of the torch from Woods to McIlroy just before the tournament. Take a look:
So, how likely is McIlroy to win it all this year?
Well, according to Odds Shark, he's the odds-on favorite to win at 6-1; however, Augusta National hasn't exactly been kind to the Northern Irishman in the past, as his best finish was a tie for eighth place in 2014.
One big takeaway from McIlroy's performance in the Masters last year was his second-round 77. He combined to shoot five under par in his other three rounds, but that Day 2 score dropped him to even for the tournament. That's significant, as McIlroy has a history of high numbers at Augusta National—he entered the final round in 2011 with a four-stroke lead but squandered it away after shooting an 80.
Getting off to a hot start this year will do wonders for McIlroy's confidence at Augusta National, as avoiding any more high numbers will be crucial to his success. Although, as we know, golfers must deal with the elements at this time of year, and McIlroy may be tested in that department right out of the gate.
On Thursday, he tees off at 10:41 a.m. ET, paired with Phil Mickelson and Ryan Moore. That middle-of-the-pack starting time could hinder his attempt to begin the tournament with a low number, as inclement weather is expected in the afternoon.
According to Weather.com, Thursday will reach a high of 90 degrees with winds upward of nine mph and a 40 percent chance of afternoon thunderstorms. That's not good news for McIlroy, as he'll be approaching the treacherous Amen Corner right around the time the rain is slated to begin.
Remaining accurate and keeping the ball in play will be immensely important in this area of the course. We already know McIlroy can hit it a long way—he's averaging 305 yards off the tee this year—but his accuracy in that department has been about average, as he's hitting 60 percent of fairways, while the tour's median is 60.47 percent.
Although, despite McIlroy's average numbers off the tee, he's been far better on his approach shots, hitting 67.22 percent of greens in regulation—almost 2 percent better than the tour average. That will prove to be extremely beneficial on Thursday, as rains will slow down Augusta National's difficult greens, giving him plenty of birdie opportunities.
As long as the rain doesn't get too heavy Thursday—and there are no delays in play—McIlroy should be able to post a number in the red to open up the tournament. His Round 1 scoring average this year is a 72, but it's easy to speculate he'll better that number in a major.
Round 1 score prediction: 70 (-2)
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