Why Houston offers 'perfect' test for McIlroy ahead of The Masters

Rory McIlroy returns to PGA Tour action at the Texas Children’s Shell Houston this week, part of his latest attempt to find a winning formula for completing the career Grand Slam at The Masters.

All eyes will once again be on McIlroy at Augusta National next month, live on Sky Sports, where victory would see him claim an elusive fifth major title and become the first male golfer to complete the Grand Slam since Tiger Woods.

McIlroy has posted 21 top-10 finishes in majors since his two titles in 2014, when he followed victory at The Open by winning the PGA Championship for a second time, with his remarkable consistency yet to be converted into a historic Masters success.

• Rory McIlroy: Latest results and confirmed schedule 📆
• Why Rory McIlroy is 'full of confidence' for the majors
• Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW 📺📱

The world No 2 has made annual tweaks to his early-season schedule to give himself the best chance of being ready to challenge for the Green Jacket, with McIlroy continuing to experiment with the number of events he plays - and where - in the build-up to the major season.

McIlroy has - so far - followed through with his commitment to reduce his schedule, having admitted to hitting "a wall" during a packed summer, with this week's start his sixth and final event ahead of The Masters.

The Northern Irishman is currently the only two-time winner on the PGA Tour in 2025, following his season-opening win at the AT&T Pebble Beach by securing The Players for a second time, with McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler now the two overwhelming favourites for Houston victory.

Why has McIlroy picked this event?

McIlroy deliberated for some time where to tee it up between The Players and The Masters - having not taken three weeks off going into Augusta National since 2012, saying on multiple occasions that he was unsure which of the Texas events he intended to play.

The Valero Texas Open was the other consideration for McIlroy, taking place a week before The Masters and where he finished runner-up in 2013 before appearing in two of the previous three years.

McIlroy missed the cut at the Texas Open in 2022 before finishing runner-up to Scheffler at Augusta a week later, then finished third in last year's event ahead of him failing to contend at The Masters.

This year's pre-Masters schedule is two events fewer than he played heading into last year's major opener, while competing in Houston gives him a week off to rest and practice ahead of his latest Grand Slam bid.

Could Houston be the perfect fit for McIlroy?

It is McIlroy's first start at the Houston Open since 2014, the year he won the most recent two of his four major titles, with his return seeing him make a maiden appearance at Memorial Park Golf Course.

"It's a perfectly-designed golf course for Rory," Billy Horschel told the Sky Sports Golf podcast. "When Rory was talking to me about it when we were talking schedules at the end of last year, early this year, and he mentioned playing Houston, I said to him, 'man, that course is right up your alley'.

Subscribe now on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Spreaker

"There's a distance bias there. There's a lot of holes that he can hit his nice going draw along. I would suspect Rory has a very good chance to win.

"I know that Scottie Scheffler's in the field but with the way that Rory has been playing this year, the way his game is at, it wouldn't shock me if he went on to win this week.

"I think it's going to be a great test. The greens are big, they've got some slope in them. Chipping around the greens and having to hit chips up to greens sort of gets you ready for Augusta a little bit.

"The field is a really good one but if Rory wins, then I'm not shocked by it at all."

How ready is McIlroy to end his Grand Slam drought?

Since McIlroy finished tied-22nd at last year's Masters, where Scheffler cruised to a four-shot victory, he has registered five worldwide victories and only ended a tournament outside the top 20 on four occasions.

McIlroy has revealed after both victories this year that he feels like a more complete player than he has before, with the former world No 1 pleased to win The Players despite not always having his A-game.

Explaining that comment after his play-off win at TPC Sawgrass, McIlroy said: "I'm a better putter. I'm better around the greens. I can flight my ball better in the wind. My ability to shape shots both ways.

"By no means did I have my best stuff but I was still able to win one of the biggest tournaments in the world. That's a huge thing."

Asked if his best golf could be yet to come, McIlroy told Sky Sports: "Absolutely. I don't think I should be out here if I didn't believe my best golf was in front of me.

"I want to try to keep improving and getting better and it's the reason that, after 16 or 17 years out here, I'm still doing it."

Whether that 'best golf' can include a win at The Masters in 2025 remains to be seen but another strong week in Houston will only enhance hopes - and expectation - for him to complete his Grand Slam mission.

Watch Rory McIlroy in action at the Texas Children's Shell Houston Open this week live on Sky Sports. Early coverage begins on Thursday from 12.15pm on Sky Sports Golf ahead of full coverage from 8pm.