Rory McIlroy targets Memorial Tournament win at Muirfield Village after completing career Grand Slam

Rory McIlroy has already achieved golf’s biggest prize. When he won the 2025 Masters and completed the career Grand Slam, it looked like the final box on a remarkable resume. With 30 PGA Tour wins and six major titles, the 37-year-old Northern Irishman has little left to prove. Yet one event still sits on his bucket list.

As Rory McIlroy arrived at Jack Nicklaus’ Muirfield Village for the 2026 Memorial Tournament, he made his feelings clear. “I would say here and Tiger’s event at Riviera. They are the two that I would love to win.”

Close calls but no win yet

Rory McIlroy has played the Memorial 13 times. He owns five top-10 finishes and four more results inside the top 20. His best finish remains a tie for fourth in 2016. Despite consistent contention, the win has never come.

“I haven’t quite figured it out yet. It’s frustrated me over my career,” McIlroy admitted. He believes the course setup plays a role. The fairways often narrow exactly where his long drives finish, which removes the advantage his power usually provides. It is a rare case where one of his greatest strengths gets neutralized.

Learning patience the hard way

Rory McIlroy finally solved Augusta National in 2025. He then repeated the feat this April. That success came from better course management and staying patient when things did not go perfectly. He hopes the same approach will unlock Muirfield Village.

The Memorial carries extra meaning for McIlroy. Winning here would let him walk up the 18th fairway and shake hands with Jack Nicklaus, the man who designed the course and hosts the event.

“I always thought it would be cool to win here,” McIlroy said, “and take that little walk up the hill off the 18th green and shake Jack’s hand.”

Why the Memorial matters in 2026

The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday remains one of the PGA Tour’s most prestigious non-major events. It rewards accurate iron play and smart course management more than raw power. For a player of Rory McIlroy’s pedigree, adding this title would round out an already legendary career.

With the 2026 edition underway at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, McIlroy enters with momentum from his recent Masters success. A strong week here would send a clear message that he is still chasing new goals even after completing the Grand Slam.

How to watch the 2026 Memorial Tournament

TV Schedule (Eastern Time):

Thursday, June 4: Golf Channel (2-6 p.m.)

Friday, June 5: Golf Channel (2-6 p.m.)

Saturday, June 6: Golf Channel (12:30-2:30 p.m.) | CBS (2:30-6 p.m.)

Sunday, June 7: Golf Channel (12:30-2:30 p.m.) | CBS (2:30-6 p.m.)

Streaming details:

ESPN+, Sling (Golf Channel), Fubo (CBS)