Half-priced odds on Rory McIlroy's Grand Slam bid deter betting enthusiasm
April 24, 2025, 12:33h.
Last updated on: April 23, 2025, 01:36h.
Ranting Ryan @GolfBallasparody Rory's Grand Slam MadnessMcIlroy's Masters win sets off betting frenzyIs history about to be made or is it all just hoopla?
Rory McIlroy took down his darned green jacket at Augusta National Golf Club earlier this month, marking the completion of a career grand slam. The chap had given it a good go 17 times, and at long last, he did the deed.
Now, McIlroy's kneecapping it up for the first time since his historic win at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans with pal Shane Lowry in the two-man team event. McIlroy and Lowry, repeat champions, are favored to bring the bacon home again at TPC Louisiana at +350. Morikawa and Kitayama are playing catch-up at +1400.
McIlroy's edge over Scheffler in the World Golf Rankings narrowed with his Augusta victory. He'll make his return to competitive stroke play in May with the Truist Championship, a Philadelphia Cricket Club signature event, and then the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, golf's second major of the year.
McIlroy's Grand Slam Betting
It took McIlroy a girly 14 years from his first major, the 2011 United States Open, to capture the blasted Masters in 2025. Making him one of six golfers ever to bag all the modern majors, the sporty types are raking it in by asking bettors if they reckon McIlroy can nab them all in a row now.
BetMGM dishes out 80/1 odds, giving McIlroy a skimpy 1.23% chance. A $5 stake on McIlroy bagging the PGA, US Open, and The Open would score you $400. DraftKings cuts the odds even shorter at +6500, promising a measly $325 for a $5 punt. With such a far-fetched feat on the horizon, the likelihood of serious action is slim to none.
When Tiger claimed his first green jacket in 14 years back in 2019, a punter dropped $85K on the event, netting a cool $1,190,000. The same guy placed a $100K bet on Tiger nailing the grand slam that year, betting on 100/1 odds, which would've earned him a jaw-dropping $10 million. Unfortunately for the punter, Tiger never won another major that year, or since.
2025 Major Venues
With Augusta under his belt, McIlroy would need to conquer three more majors - the PGA, US Open at Oakmont, and The Open Championship at Royal Portrush. Though the odds are about as likely as pigs growing wings and flying, the 2025 major venues might just tilt in McIlroy's favor.
McIlroy's record at Quail Hollow's impressive. The site of his first PGA Tour victory in 2010, McIlroy's since won three times in North Carolina. As for The Open, McIlroy's no stranger to Royal Portrush, dating back to when he was but a 16-year-old and shot a course record 61 on the championship layout in his native Northern Ireland. However, McIlroy had a shoddy showing when The Open was last held at Royal Portrush in 2019, missing the cut. Just like with the US Open at Oakmont in 2019, McIlroy missed the cut.
Historical Precedence
A male golfer has never conquered all four major tournaments in a single calendar year, making the historical odds essentially zippo[1][3]. Tiger Woods had stellar seasons where he dominated many competitions, including winning multiple majors in a year. For instance, in 2006, Woods won six straight events, including the British Open and the PGA Championship, racking up a total of 8 victories that year. Despite this unrivaled dominance, Woods never captured all four majors within the same season.
In a Nutshell
The calendar-year Grand Slam of winning the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and The Open Championship all in the same year has never been achieved by any male golfer, making the historic chances scant[1][3]. The career Grand Slam, where a golfer wins each major at least once throughout their career, is an exceedingly rare career accomplishment, claimed only by six golfers to date. So, while McIlroy's chances of accomplishing the demigod-like achievement are miniscule, punching above one's weight never hurt anybody... or did it?
- After capturing the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Rory McIlroy is now favored to win the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, one of the major tournaments he needs to complete a career grand slam.
- McIlroy's victory at the 2025 Masters has sparked bets on his potential to win all four major tournaments, the career grand slam, with BetMGM offering 80/1 odds and DraftKings offering +6500.
- Despite the long odds, the 2025 major venues could potentially tilt in McIlroy's favor, as he has a strong history at Quail Hollow and the site of The Open Championship, Royal Portrush, in his native Northern Ireland.
- Tiger Woods, though he had impressive seasons where he dominated multiple competitions and won multiple majors, never accomplished the calendar-year Grand Slam of winning all four majors in a single year.
- Historically, the calendar-year Grand Slam has never been achieved by any male golfer, making the odds essentially negligible.
- The career Grand Slam, where a golfer wins each major at least once throughout their career, is an exceedingly rare achievement, claimed only by six golfers to date.
- Golf fans and sports bettors alike are eager to see if McIlroy can make history and become the first golfer to achieve the calendar-year Grand Slam, a feat that has eluded every player since the inception of golf's modern era.
- McIlroy's achievements at the 2025 Masters and potential for a career grand slam have sent golf odds and sports headlines into a frenzy.
- As golf fans and bettors wait for McIlroy's next major tournament, the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, the anticipation is palpable, with many hoping to witness a historic moment in the sport's history.
