McIlroy recently became only the sixth male golfer to complete the set of all four major titles with a dramatic play-off win at The Masters last April. The victory came a full 11 years after completing the third leg of the Grand Slam.
Spieth, meanwhile, has been stuck on three majors since 2017. He won The Masters and US Open in 2015, before adding The Open two years later, but the PGA Championship has remained elusive.
This week’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club represents his 10th attempt to secure the final piece of the Grand Slam, but he doesn’t see his situation as similar to McIlroy’s.
“My situation was certainly different than his [McIlroy’s] at Augusta, so I think that was unique to him,” Spieth said. “You probably didn’t see that kind of reaction with the other guys that have ever done it.
“Rory’s was obviously a very unique final round and his history of having led there [2011, when he blew a four-shot lead on the final day] and stuff like that, so I don’t think it would feel similar.
“I went on a run of feeling like I was contending or having a good chance of contending at every major for a number of years and then it was periodic, and I feel like I’m close to being able to go back to doing that again. So I just want to give myself a chance.”
Spieth finished runner-up to Jason Day at the 2015 PGA Championship, a season in which he did not finish outside the top four in any of the four majors. However, his only other top-10 finish at the event since then came in 2019, when he shared third place.
Once ranked world No 1, Spieth has since fallen outside the top 50 after failing to record a top-10 finish worldwide so far in 2026. He arrives in Pennsylvania after finishing tied-52nd at last week’s Truist Championship.
Despite his recent struggles, the American remains confident he can compete at the highest level and believes he is capable of ending his wait for a PGA Tour victory, which dates back to 2022.
“If I can win one more tournament in my life, it would obviously be this one for that reason [Grand Slam],” Spieth added. “But the easiest way to do that is to not try to, in a weird way.
“Just go out and get ready for the first hole, get a good game plan in and attack it the way it needs to be attacked. My game has been getting better and better. It’s plenty good to have a chance to win.”
