Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs As the PGA Tour calendar heats up before the first major of the year at The Masters in April, the elephant in the room surrounding Rory McIlroy at Augusta National remains.The Northern Irishman is still chasing that elusive Masters title to complete the career grand slam after winning the PGA Championship (2012, 2014), the U.S. Open (2011) and The Open Championship (2014).The good news is that McIlroy is off to a very good start in 2025. He will play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational in his second event since winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in early February.Following the Signature Event at Bay Hill and The PLAYERS Championship, however, McIlroy is unsure how he will prepare for the first major of the season.”I’m still making a bit of a decision,” McIlroy said before his first round at Bay Hill on Thursday. “I’m going to play these next two week, I’ll see how these next two weeks go, then I’ll sort of reassess. I don’t like the idea of having three weeks off going into the Masters, so I may add one event, but I’m still between what event that may be.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – MARCH 05: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits a driver during the pro-am as a preview to the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard 2025 at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course…
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – MARCH 05: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits a driver during the pro-am as a preview to the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard 2025 at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 05, 2025 in Orlando, Florida.
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“But it really just depends on how these two weeks go and how I’m feeling about my game. But I would imagine I would add an event leading into there, it just depends on whether it’s Houston or San Antonio.”McIlroy has played in Houston four times, but has not appeared there since a T-7 finish back in 2014. He played the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio three times, most recently in 2024 where he finished in third place.His comments ensure that he will not be in the field at the Valspar Championship. That is the first tournament following The PLAYERS, held at Copperhead Golf Course in Tampa Bay, Florida.Regardless, McIlroy will be trying to find the right groove as he seeks his first Green Jacket.The Masters has been a house of horrors for the four-time major champion, including his final-round 80 in 2011 to fall out of contention and two missed cuts in the previous four iterations.No matter where he decides to tune up for Augusta National, he’s hoping that it can get him into the winner’s circle for the first time. Not only would that complete the career Grand Slam, but also snap his 11-year drought winning a major title.More Golf: PGA Tour Commissioner Shuts Down Notion of LIV Golf Merger at The PLAYERS
