McGinley pulling for McIlroy Grand Slam: "The game needs this for the good of the game"
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a stroke from the No. 11 tee during the third round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Saturday, April 12, 2025.
Paul McGinley believes Rory McIlroy has a point to prove today and admits he's pulling for a first Irish win in the Masters and a victory for the game itself.
Speaking on the ‘Live From’ post-game show on CBS, the Dubliner was convinced that McIlroy is poised to put his recent Major disappointments in the rearview mirror and claim a historic win to complete the career Grand Slam that would be a good news story for golf itself after years of LIV Golf divisiveness.
"There's an air about Rory that's different this week," McGinley said. "Greats like Tom Watson, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus all picked Rory this week because they obviously see something.
"They don't always think that way. So I think he's in such a good spot that not only could he win, I think he'll extend his lead now and win by a bigger margin.
"Now it's a lot for me to say that because I know how he can get derailed and how he has got derailed, but I think for the good of the game, the game needs this.
"It needs a new mega star. This would move Rory to megastar status should he do it. After all of the bad headlines that golf has had for the last two years, it will be good to have such a positive story."
McGinley's faith is based on McIlroy's body language and the transformation he's made in his mental game over the past few seasons, even if he did fail to close out The Open in 2022 or the US Open in 2023 and 2024.
"I think Rory is on the bounce," McGinley said. "I think he got hurt so badly at that US Open (last year), he's got a point to prove. And when he's got a point to prove, that's normally when he's at his best.
"I saw that today. I saw it in his body language. I saw the pointy elbows. This was vintage Rory, something we haven't seen even when he's winning tournaments.
"I saw a spring in a step today that I haven't seen for… nearly going back to when he's winning majors before."
McGinley was blown away by McIlroy's towering six iron to the 15th that set up that six footer for eagle that sent him four shots clear.
He senses that McIlroy wants to avenge that loss at Pinehurst, but he also noted how DeChambeau played to the crowd over the last three holes, high-fiving the patrons after he made his third birdie in four holes with that 45-footer for birdie at the last.
"He's got unfinished business with Bryson DeChambeau, and you can see that," McGinley said.
"And I loved where he was at 15. Yes, there were a few wobbles in there, but he reset, he reset, and then he played that shot in 15. That, for me, was the moment of the Masters so far, his second shot at the 15th."
McGinley reckons McIlroy has gone to "another level" in terms of the mental game, but he also knows that DeChambeau has a competitive X-factor that makes up for the failings in his game this week.
Even when four shots behind, the Californian stepped up and birdied the 15th from way left of the green, ripped his tee shot to four feet at the 16th
"He's not as good a golfer as Rory, but he makes up for it in other ways," McGinley said.
"This guy has one of the most incredible competitive spirits I've seen."
With McIlroy on 12-under and DeChambeau on 10-under, the leading duo are poised to separate themselves if they continue to make birdies.
"I think it's a two-horse race," McGinley said. "I think they've distanced themselves. I think the competitive nature between the two of them was brilliant today.
"I love the fact that they have history with the US Open last year.
"I don't think Bryson's playing that well at all. I think it shows you that this guy is a hell of a competitor…
"Rory could have accelerated away from the field today, and credit to Bryson for staying somewhat behind him.
"He's not as good a golfer as Rory, but he makes up for it in other ways. He's a phenomenal driver of the ball, but he doesn't have the quality of iron play that Rory does. He has a brilliant short game.
"This guy has got one of the most incredible competitive spirits that I've seen, and that's what I admire about him more than anything else."
DeChambeau showed at Pinehurst that he could respond to McIlroy's brilliance by hanging tough and waiting for an opening.
That was again evident on Saturday after McIlroy eagled the 15th.
"The whole place rocked on the back of that," McGinley said. "DeChambeau was standing down that fairway, and what did he do?
"He birdied three of the next four holes. He didn't shrivel even though he didn't have his best stuff with him."
