Jordan Spieth inspired by Rory McIlroy as duo target major success

May 14, 2025

Jordan Spieth is aiming to emulate Rory McIlroy’s achievements by completing a career grand slam at Quail Hollow.

McIlroy ended his 11-year wait for a major and became one of six players to complete a career grand slam by winning The Masters last month.

Now Spieth hopes it’s his opportunity to have his moment in the sun. He won The Masters and the US Open in 2015 before securing The Open Championship claret jug two years later.

However, the PGA Championship has continued to elude him. He finished runner-up in 2015 and then tied for third in 2019, but injuries and a loss of form have seen Spieth struggle to compete at the top in recent years.

This will be Spieth’s ninth attempt to put himself in the history books – McIlroy needed 11 – and he hopes that knowledge will help inspire him to pull off a shock. He said: “It’s always circled on the calendar.

“For me, if I could only win one tournament for the rest of my life, I’d pick this one for that reason.

“Watching Rory win after giving it a try for a number of years was inspiring. Most of the time he makes it look a lot easier; so obviously that was on the forefront of his mind.

“Something like that has not been done by many people, and there’s a reason why. But I’d like to throw my hat in the ring and give it a chance come the weekend.”

The signs are beginning to look positive again following wrist surgery. A tie for 25th for his best finish in a major last year but he bounced back from a missed cut at the Masters in 2024 to finish tied for 14th this time around.

He also secured a top five finish in the Byron Nelson earlier this month, while his ball speed and accuracy off the tee have improved. He added: “Because of my driver becoming a weapon more than it used to be, that leaves me in a position where I feel a little more comfortable on these courses.”

McIlroy, on the other hand, admits he doesn’t need to burden himself anymore after achieving his life ambition. He said: “I dreamed as a child of becoming the best player in the world and winning all the majors.

“I’ve done that. Everything beyond this, for however long I decide to play the game competitively, is a bonus.

“I feel like I sort of burdened myself with the career grand slam stuff, and I want to enjoy this.

“I want to enjoy what I’ve achieved, and I want to enjoy the last decade or whatever of my career, and I don’t want to burden myself by numbers or statistics. I just want to go and try to play the best golf I can.”