PGA Championship: McIlroy out to add to highlight reel after Masters win

The Northern Irishman returns to major action at this week's PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, a course he has enjoyed success at over the years.

Indeed, McIlroy has won more PGA Tour titles at Quail Hollow (four) than any other course. It was also at this venue when he won his first PGA event back in 2010.

He is aiming to become only the third golfer since the turn of the century to win the first two majors in a calendar year, after Tiger Woods (2002) and Jordan Spieth (2015).

And McIlroy arrives at the competition with momentum, having become the first European golfer to complete a career Grand Slam with his dramatic win at Augusta last month.

The 36-year-old has won three times on the PGA Tour this year, more than any other player, with wins at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Players Championship and Masters.

While McIlroy described the outpouring of congratulatory messages following his Masters win as "absolutely amazing", he suggested he is far from finished.

"Everyone needs to have goals and dreams, and I've been able to do something that I dreamed of for a long time," said McIlroy.

"I'm still going to set myself goals, I'm still going to try to achieve certain things, but I sit here knowing that very well could be the highlight of my career.

"That's a very cool thing. I still want to create a lot of other highlights and high points, but I'm not sure if any other win will live up to what happened a few weeks ago."

Dreams do come true. pic.twitter.com/6WiHrVIjNl

— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) April 14, 2025

Having won all four majors, McIlroy's next significant achievement could be to match Nick Faldo's European record of six major titles.

"I've always said I'm not going to put a number on it," added McIlroy, who will tee off alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Xander Schauffele.

"I've talked about becoming the best European ever or the best international player, whatever that is, but the numbers tell one thing, and it might not be the full story.

"I feel like I burdened myself with the career Grand Slam stuff and I want to enjoy this. I want to enjoy what I've achieved and enjoy the last decade or whatever of my career.

"I don't want to burden myself with numbers or statistics. I just want to play the best golf I can."

McIlroy was also on hand to discuss his final round alongside Bryson DeChambeau at the Masters, with the American having beaten him at the U.S. Open last year.

After carding a final-round 75 to finish tied for fifth, DeChambeau said McIlroy did not talk to him throughout the entire round, though McIlroy feels he did nothing wrong.

"I don't know what he was expecting," McIlroy said. "Like, we're trying to win the Masters. I'm not going to be his best mate out there.

"Everyone approaches the game in different ways. I was focused on myself and what I needed to do and that's really all that it was.