Rory McIlroy has been backed to finally win the Masters at Augusta National this year after securing victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Sunday. McIlroy banked his 27th win on the PGA Tour after seeing off his Olympic teammate Shane Lowry to win the title at one of golf's most iconic courses by two shots. It was an impressive showing from the Northern Irishman, whose victory came in his first PGA Tour event of 2025.

An impressive start to the season is important for the 35-year-old, with McIlroy no doubt desperate to end his wait to complete the Grand Slam and get his hands on a famous green jacket. And going off his performance in California last week, former world No. 1 Dame Laura Davies believes he has what it takes to win major No. 5, 11 years after winning his last. "I personally think he [McIlroy] will win The Masters this year," Davies told Sky Sports.

"I think he played so well at the end of last year, winning that tournament [DP World Tour Championship] the way he did. His wedge game's getting better, he's full of confidence. This is just yet another confidence boost, if he needed any more. I don't think anyone can put any pressure on him that he's not put on himself. "He'll be in the same position he has been in the last ten years, but I think his game is in a really good position now." The signs has of course been promising for McIlroy in recent months. Having ended his 2024 campaign with victory at the DP World Tour Championship, he has started 2025 with a top-five finish at the Dubai Desert Classic and a win at Pebble Beach.

For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US. He will have to overcome defending champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler to become Masters champion though, and despite Scheffler's recent domiance, Davies believes McIlroy has what it takes. "He played strategic golf. He played clever golf. He was hitting a lot of knockdown shots, feel shots. "It just showed he has got every shot in the game. If he chooses to use that throughout the whole year, he'd almost be unstoppable. As good as Scottie Scheffler is, I still think - on their day and if they both play their best - Rory's just a little bit better. I think: could he push Scheffler right to the limit this year?".

According to McIlroy himself, he feels he is not to far away from his best. Yeah I'm close, I'm pretty close. I feel like I controlled my ball flight well in the crosswinds this week I drove the ball really well," he told Sky Sports following his victory in California. "I think I'll always nitpick and there's always things about my game that I want to try to get better, because that's just who I am.