Rory McIlroy finally completed the career Grand Slam in April, when he overcame the demons that have plagued him at Augusta National to win the Masters for the first time in his career. It's a rare achievement that's only been done by five other golfers in PGA Tour history, and one that McIlroy had to battle for nearly a decade to complete.
McIlroy was addressing the media Wednesday ahead of the RBC Canadian Open. At one point, Keith Pelley, CEO of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, gifted McIlroy a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater, prompting the Northern Ireland native to crack a perfectly timed joke at the expense of the city's beloved hockey franchise.
"If I can win the Masters, then the Leafs can win the Stanley Cup," McIlroy said, referring to the lengthy Stanley Cup Final drought Toronto is currently mired in, via Bob Weeks of TSN.
The Maple Leafs haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1967, which is also the last time they even appeared in the title game. No stranger to excruciatingly painful defeats on the biggest stage, McIlroy optimistically suggested that if he was able to get the job done at Augusta, there's no reason Toronto can't figure out its postseason woes and snap their 58-year drought.
The Leafs bowed out in the Eastern Conference semifinals this season, losing in a seven-game series to the reigning champion Florida Panthers. It's now been 23 years since the Maple Leafs last even reached the conference finals, but McIlroy is trying his best to inject some belief into the down-trodden fan base.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rory McIlroy Contextualizes Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Drought With Funny Masters Line.
