Rory McIlroy sits on the precipice of joining historic list as minor tweaks lead to upward trajectory

The best European golfer of all time is suddenly on the verge of some history

In a world where so much attention is heaped upon the true thoroughbreds of the sport (it's all that's been talked about for a month!), it's very easy to remember that not even all superstars are created equal. Because he was so good at such a young age and for such a long time, Rory McIlroy's achievements have become normalized, as if they are no more or no less impressive and important than the other top golfers in the world. However, a slight tweak, an in-control victory and a single stat from the Wells Fargo Championship were a reminder over the weekend that even in a game that is beginning to disproportionately reward exclusivity, one player stands alone historically. When 2020 started, McIlroy went on a tear before the COVID-19 pandemic turned the sports world on its head. Nobody who played at least 10 rounds from Jan. 1 to when the PGA Tour shut it down at The Players Championship gained more strokes per round. The only problem is that his tear resulted in exactly zero wins. It was four straight top-five finishes but no trophies, which is truly all that affects the legacy of somebody like McIlroy. This, he (and we) realized, was a problem.  "I think back to the start of 2020 when I would play great when the pressure was off and then I'd play not so good on a Sunday even though I felt like I was playing better and the results would suggest that," said McIlroy.