Former world number one David Duval believes Rory McIlroy will complete the career grand slam, but fears that his latest bout of Masters misery will be tough to take.

Once the questions to Phil Mickelson about his long-sleeve, business attire golf shirt and practice-round pairing with Tiger Woods were handled on Tuesday, the three-time Masters champion, making his 23rd start in the season’s first major, was asked whether this was the most anticipated Masters — maybe ever.

Jack Nicklaus believes Rory McIlroy is the man to beat in the Masters as he seeks to complete the career grand slam with a victory at Augusta National.

Dustin Raymond has carried a black marker to every Masters since 1991 to collect autographs on yellow souvenir flags with the Masters logo in the centre.

From McIlroy to Tiger, we look at the talking points ahead of Augusta. 

Jordan Spieth feared the US PGA Championship could be decided by a stroke of bad luck after completing his unsuccessful bid to become the youngest winner of a career grand slam.

Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy carded contrasting opening rounds of 72 as Spieth aims to become the youngest player to complete a career grand slam in the 99th US PGA Championship.

Kenny Perry, who won the US Senior Open in July, never tasted major championship glory during an otherwise successful PGA Tour career.

Rory McIlroy has a lot to be happy about as he returns to one of his favourite venues, Quail Hollow, for this week’s USPGA Championship, writes John McHenry.

The PGA Championship is the final major of the year. Those 10 words will be bouncing around Rory McIlroy’s head in stereo. It has not been the year Rory expected but you have to play the ball as it lies, and despite a disappointing 2017, there is now cause for optimism.

McIlroy needs to win the Masters to join Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player in having claimed all four major titles.

A strong start and eliminating victory-killing rounds will be the key to Rory McIlroy finally donning a green jacket at Augusta National.

Rory McIlroy is relishing the prospect of displaying a ruthless streak as he seeks a second WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play title this week.

He’s one of golf’s big three but while he has spent a few days watching Africa’s big five and has his sights set on returning to world number one this month, Rory McIlroy’s early-season sojourn to South Africa is all about one thing — the first major of the year.

We delve into the past ahead of the final major championship of the season.

It was said many years ago but the hellish pronouncement of the founder and designer Henry Clay Fownes should be posted on a large sign at the entrance to Oakmont Country Club.

Rory McIlroy believes there is a Green Jacket waiting for him at Augusta National and the sooner he claims it by winning the Masters, the easier it will be.

Rory McIlroy may have enhanced his chances of completing the career grand slam by opting out of the par-three contest, but the world No 3 still faces a tough task to end Europe’s surprising Masters drought.

Not surprisingly, these top ten Augusta clutch shots all came in the final round of the Masters when the pressure was massive and the drama unbearable.

Rory McIlroy has cut down on the distractions as he attempts to complete the career grand slam at Augusta this week.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy can achieve a career milestone and set himself up perfectly for a much more important one in the WGC-Dell Match Play this week.

Jordan Spieth made another entry into golf’s history books and steadied himself for a third leg of an historic calendar Grand Slam after dramatically sealing a Masters-US Open double at Chambers Bay early on Monday morning.

Masters champion Jordan Spieth made an early move up the leaderboard as the misery continued for former world number one Tiger Woods in the US Open on Friday.

Renowned for his short-game prowess, Phil Mickelson sometimes does his best scoring with his biting perspective and cunning wit.

Rory McIlroy will get his bid for a career grand slam under way in the company of Phil Mickelson and Ryan Moore as the draw for opening two rounds of the year’s first major was announced.

How many times have we heard a sports star talking about a legend from a different generation they grew up watching on tv, wide-eyed and wondering would they be like them one day?

Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley believes Rory McIlroy has a long way to go before he deserves to be compared to Tiger Woods.

Rory McIlroy believes it is “unthinkable” that he will not win the Masters at some point to complete the career grand slam.

Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke believes it is just a matter of time before Rory McIlroy completes the career grand slam by winning the Masters.

Rory McIlroy will use his first appearance in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill as his last competitive outing before attempting to complete the career grand slam in the Masters.

Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley hopes Tiger Woods returns to action in time for the Masters in order to divert some of the spotlight from Rory McIlroy.

While Rory McIlroy will command much of the focus in the countdown to the Masters, good friend Shane Lowry reckons he could become only the third player in history to win on debut at Augusta National.

McIlroy turns to dad for masterclass

The golf seasons tend to merge into each other these days, so much so that this week’s first European Tour event of 2015 is actually the third of the 2015 season, writes Phil Casey.

He’s in Sydney to defend his Australian Open crown, but Rory McIlroy admits not a day goes by when he’s not thinking about the bigger picture.

Rory McIlroy will be Europe’s talisman at next week’s Ryder Cup and then go on to become the sixth player to complete the career grand slam,according to Gary Player.

His hands had been back on the Wanamaker Trophy barely two hours, but Rory McIlroy was already keenly aware of his place in golfing history and, more importantly, the next landmarks he wanted to reach in the game.

The last time Valhalla staged the US PGA Championship in 2000, the 18th green witnessed the passing of the torch between the two greatest players of their generations.

Graeme McDowell led the praise for "the curly-haired kid" at Hoylake last night as Rory McIlroy got his hands on the Claret Jug and brought Irish golf its eighth major in as many years.

He does not just win at a canter, you know.

New Open champion Rory McIlroy had the last laugh in Hoylake last night as he saw off his rivals, a heckler, and the good-natured booers who turned on the Manchester United fan during his victory speech.