When Rory McIlroy pulled out his driver on the third hole in Sunday’s final round of the Masters, Jack Nicklaus figured that either anger or desperation already had overcome the Northern Irishman and that he had discarded his carefully conceived pre-tournament plan.

Rory McIlroy burst onto the scene as a powerful dynamo. He finally won the career grand slam by evolving his game to navigate courses like a wily veteran.