RORY McILROY is in the form of his life as he sets out to climb the final three steps to golfing heaven. The four-time Major champion can take step one towards that immortality by ending his 11-year drought in the Majors — and finally winning The Masters next week. It would make McIlroy, 35, only the sixth golfer to complete the career Grand Slam, joining an elite club featuring Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen. And the next step on his celestial staircase would be to spearhead a rare away victory in September’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage, New York. There will be more of a wait for step three — an Olympic medal. The next chance is at Los Angeles 2028. That final item on McIlroy’s bucket list could see him head into retirement aged 39. The prospect of quitting before he turns 40 makes the Holywood ace break into a broad grin. He said: “It could happen. You’ve heard me say many times that I won’t be playing golf competitively when I’m 50 — and ideally I would stop some time before that. “Winning The Masters, being part of another European team that wins the Ryder Cup away from home and capturing an Olympic medal are the three big goals for the rest of my career. “If I can achieve those three things in the next three years then I would feel that I’d achieved everything I set out to accomplish in golf. “And I could happily retire at that point, with absolutely no regrets.” The omens for a long-overdue Masters success look better than at any time since he infamously blew a four-shot lead in 2011 with a disastrous final-round 80. There has been plenty more scar tissue at Augusta since, with four top-five finishes. But this time McIlroy arrives there having won twice on the PGA Tour in the build-up — the first time he has done that in 18 years as a pro. His victory at The Players three weeks ago was particularly impressive. McIlroy managed to get the job done even though his main weapon — incredible prowess with the driver — was misfiring at Sawgrass. The world No 2 added: “I’m just excited to know that I can win an event like the Players — with one of the strongest fields assembled all year — without having my best stuff. “Winning twice before Augusta shows I’m in good form. “So I’m heading into this Masters with plenty of confidence.” McIlroy complained of an elbow problem at last week’s Houston Open but it did not seem to trouble him. And he summed up: “I know more than anyone how tough it is to win at Augusta. But, yeah, I feel ready to give it my best shot.”