Three years ago, Rory McIlroy sat in the Oak Hill Country Club locker room, frustrated and searching for answers. The Netflix cameras were rolling for an episode of "Full Swing" as he laid bare his struggles after a T-7 finish at the PGA Championship.

"My technique is nowhere near as good as it used to be," McIlroy admitted. "I almost feel like I want to do a complete reboot. It's the only way I feel like I'm going to break through. It feels so far away."

Fast forward to today, and that "complete reboot" has paid off in spectacular fashion. Two Masters victories later, McIlroy finds himself in a very different place. Speaking ahead of the 108th PGA Championship at NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa., he was asked how the last month has been. The stretch included his repeat win at Augusta National, a guest appearance at a State Dinner at the White House, and even a cameo alongside his wife, Erica, in The Devil Wears Prada 2. McIlroy smiled and simply said, "Pretty good."

Life is indeed good for the 37-year-old, who celebrated his birthday last week. It's a stark contrast from the frustration he felt three years ago, when he was stuck in a cycle of near-misses. That "come-to-Jesus moment" in the Oak Hill locker room proved pivotal.

"I felt like it was super easy for me to finish in the top 10 at a major but impossible to win," McIlroy told Golfweek. "That juxtaposition of how do I find it so easy to get close but impossible to get over the line? It was peak frustration."

McIlroy knew he had to address technical issues with his swing, particularly on left pin positions. There was more heartbreak along the way—at the U.S. Open in Los Angeles and again at Pinehurst in 2024. But each close call brought him a step closer, even if the pain lingered.

"Anyone in the history of the game apart from Tiger and Jack, there's this trend of thirds and seconds and then boom, you win," he reflected. "It happened with Xander, it happened with Scottie, it happened with me."

Now, with two green jackets in his closet and a renewed sense of confidence, McIlroy sees a "clear road ahead" for more major success. For golf fans and apparel enthusiasts alike, it's a reminder that sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come after the toughest setbacks.