McIlroy contemplates Rory Slam: "To win three majors in a row and maybe hold all four if I win the US Open, it is huge things we are talking about here"
Rory McIlroy holds the Wanamaker Trophy and the Claret Jug. Picture Eoin Clarke, www.golffile.ie
Rory McIlroy wants to win the Masters and his third major in a row to complete the career grand slam at Augusta next April. But he also hinted, just for a moment, that thoughts of holding all four majors at the same time are flitting through his head.
No-one has won all four modern majors in the same calendar year but if he wins the Masters and the US Open at Chambers Bay in Washington next season, McIlroy will match the feat of Tiger Woods, who won the US Open, the Open and the US PGA in 2000 before completing what was dubbed the "Tiger Slam" at Augusta National in 2001.
On going for a hat-trick of major wins and the career grand slam at The Masters next year, McIlroy told Sky Sports: "It's exciting. What I am going to have to do for the rest of 2014 is try and put that out of my head. I could easily just start to think about Augusta and 2015 and think of winning the career grand slam. But there is a lot of golf left this year and I want to finish this year off, as well as it is going so far, I want to finish it off strong.
"But as you say, going into Augusta next year with the chance to win a career grand slam, to win my fifth major, to win three majors in a row and maybe hold all four if I win the US Open, it is huge things we are talking about here and I have just got to concentrate on the end of 2014 and then I can turn my attention to Augusta and 2015."
Before he watched McIlroy win at Valhalla, Jack Nicklaus said the Co Down man was capable of going on to beat his record of 18 major wins.
But McIlroy hinted that Tiger's tally of 14 major victories was a more immediate target.
On beating Nicklaus' 18 win, he said: "Honestly, I don't know. I am not old enough to remember Jack winning his majors. I grew up watching Tiger dominate and the last couple of majors I have won, I have won them on the same courses Tiger's won on.
"I can't think to the end goal of trying to win a certain number of majors. Right now I am on four and I want to get to five and I want to complete the career grand slam. And when I did that I want to become the most successful European ever and try and go past Faldo. And then I will turn my attention to some of the bigger numbers.
"But right now I am on four and I want to get to five and get to five as quickly as I can."
Asked how badly he wanted his third win in a row and his fourth major at Valhalla on Sunday, McIlroy said: "I wanted it. I kept telling myself this isn't for another major, this is for your third win in a row.
"Obviously to win another major is huge but to win back to back to back is something that I am very proud of because not a lot of people go and do that on tour."
On becoming golf's dominant player, he said: "I said at the start of the year that golf needed someone to put their hand up and try and become the dominant player, because that's what people like to see.
"They like to see rivalries. It's great have a back nine like we had with Phil Mickelson in the mix, Rickie Fowler in the mix, Henrik Stenson in the mix. That's what people want to see if major championships and I am glad I came out on top and I hope I have many great battles with those guys in the years to come."
