With Authority

With authority, Rory McIlroy closed out his competitors on Sunday afternoon at Pebble Beach. Solid as a rock, he fired rounds of 66-70-65-66 to claim his 27th PGA Tour victory in his first start of 2025.

After a bogey on the 8th hole, Rory stood at just 1-under for the day, with a number of challengers on his heels. It would turn out to be his only bogey of the weekend. He steadied himself with a par on the difficult 9th, then seized control of the tournament by playing the next six holes in 5-under par—the signature moment being an eagle on the 14th, set up by a monster drive and a towering 7-iron. He parred the final three holes to secure a two-shot victory.

The year couldn’t have started better for Rory. However, we all know his true goal for 2025—whether he says it or not. In his post-round interview, he shared that while walking up the 18th, he told his caddie, “Start as you mean to go on,” signaling that this win was just setting the tone. He was clearly pleased with the performance, but you could sense that he is far from satisfied.

After numerous close calls over the past decade, including a few heartbreaks, Rory has his eyes set on the elusive fifth major championship.

So, will this finally be the year? As a golf fan, I sure hope so.