In the history of professional golf, no one has ever collected a calendar Grand Slam—winning the Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and the (British) Open Championship all in the same year. Bobby Jones did take the “old” calendar Grand Slam in 1930 with wins in the Open, U.S. Open, Amateur, and U.S. Amateur Championships, but that doesn’t really count in today’s world.
There’s only one golfer who has the chance to win all four Majors this year, as a consequence of his victory in Augusta at the Masters—Rory McIlroy. And since he also won the Players Championship—often called the “Fifth Major,” he’s hot as a pistol in the big events. And for the Quail Hollow course in North Carolina, which is hosting the next leg, the PGA Championship, McIlroy will feel right at home.
Shooting Quail
McIlroy has won four times at Quail Hollow Club (2010, 2015, 2021, and 2024) in 13 starts. He’s made 12 cuts and finished 10 times in the top 20 and nine times in the Top 10. Overall, Rory has won five Majors and 29 wins all together on the PGA Tour.
So what’s his path to the calendar Grand Slam? We already know he’s a fan of Quail Hollow. The U.S. Open is being held at Oakmont Country Club in California, a long track that would favor his driving ability. Rory has finished in the top 9 in the past six U.S. Open championships, including being runner-up each of the past two years. But at Oakmont, he missed the cut in 2016 when the Open was last played there.
The final leg of the Majors, the Open Championship, is in Rory’s backyard, Royal Portrush in Ireland, where he set a course record at the age of 16. So it’s not inconceivable that Rory could take all four Majors, but the fact that it has never happened before makes it very unlikely. And at 75-1, the odds should be much higher, given the history of all the great golfers that never achieved this milestone.
But there’s another Grand Slam at play here. Jordan Spieth has won three Majors, and the only one outstanding is the PGA Championship. It’s almost difficult to remember when Spieth looked like the next Tiger Woods as he tore up the PGA Tour for a couple of years. It’s been more than 10 years since he won the Masters, the U.S. Open, and came close at both the Open Championship and the PGA. He claimed the Claret Jug at the 2017 Open Championship, but the PGA has still eluded him.
Although he hasn’t come close in recent years, this year has seen something of a career revival as he’s got three top-10s. His college coach says, “Jordan is like a bomb waiting to go off. The fuse is lit, and if he wins again, he may not stop.” At +6000, maybe you can be there when he goes off.
PGA Passion
So let’s turn to his first test, the PGA. The first two days should be epic. Rory will be paired with Scottie Scheffler, coming off a 2024 season with seven wins, including the Tour Championship and the Masters, and last year’s PGA champion Xander Schauffele. With a stormy forecast, the tournament could open up for any player, but aside from these three, there are several golfers who could sneak away with a victory. Both Rory and Scottie are co-favorites at the BetMGM book at +500. Xander is back a bit at +2000.
Let’s take a look at Justin Thomas. He won the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, coming from six strokes back on the opening day to taking the lead on the final day with a birdie at the 10th hole that hung on the edge for an agonizing time before dropping. He made birdies at 13 and 17 for a comfortable three-shot lead and coasted home for the win. Thomas is +1800 at this event.
Ludvig Aberg is playing in only his second PGA and his first appearance at Quail Hollow. But his game is a good fit for this course, so he’s not a bad choice at +2500.
Or how about Patrick Cantlay? He’s due for a win. It’s been three years since he topped the leader board at the BMW Championship in 2022. His main challenge is inconsistent putting. Cure that, and he’s got a chance at +4500
Maverick McNealy has not only a great name but also a great game, with five top-10 finishes this year. He was runner-up to Åberg at the Genesis Invitational. At +11000, he’s worth a few bucks.
Taylor Pendrith is a great driver on a very long course. He’s fifth on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee this year. If his putter gets hot, he’s got a chance at +14000.
The PGA Championship will be an interesting test, especially if the stormy weather forecast holds. It could be Monday before we crown a winner, so hold onto your hats.
21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
