Rory McIlroy’s PGA win started talk of what would happen if he won next year’s Masters, giving him all four majors at once. Of course, the name “Rory Slam” came up.
This wouldn’t the first time somebody winning all four majors in golf (or tennis) in a row, but not in the same year, has happened; Martina Navratilova (who would have won a “true” Grand Slam had the Australian Open been in its traditional beginning of the year spot rather than at the end of the year), Tiger Woods, and Serena Williams have done this as well, and each time, it was called the (First Name) Slam.
Should there be a “universal” name for this? I have heard “Grand Sham” used (mainly when WTA started calling Navratilova an “official” Grand Slam achiever) , but it cheapens the achievement. Maybe “Cycle”, or “Clean Sweep”, or “Four Of A Kind”?
Note that this is not to be confused with a “career slam,” where somebody wins each major at least once in his/her career; you have to win all four in a row, but straddled over two years.
If it were up to me, this would just be a grand slam. I don’t see any particular reason that winning the Masters, US Open, British Open, and PGA is more impressive than winning the US Open, British Open, PGA, and Masters. So I’d call it a grand slam any time someone holds all 4 at the same time, and maybe have a special “calendar slam” for doing it all in the same calendar year.
If that’s not an option, then maybe call it a “major slam” when you hold all 4.
Also Rory would need to win both the Masters and US Open next year; he didn’t win the US Open this year.
Hell, I’ve been pulling for names for all kinds of achievements since forever. In all sports. Baseball, in particular, should be loaded with them. 5 for 5. 6 for 6. Four extra base hits. One-hitter. No-hitter through 9 innings but not the whole game because this nation still can’t accept the concept of equality. No-hitter through more than 9 innings. What would’ve been a perfect game except for some utterly brain-dead umpire or manager decision the player had no control over. 3-pitch inning. Pickoff successful on first try (now THAT’S a rarity!). Foul ball-less game (ditto). How baseball got along for almost a century and a half with “no-hitter”, “perfect game”, “cycle”, “unassisted triple play” and jumping jack squat else baffles me. And…and I know I’m not the only one who thinks this…at this point we really need some benchmarks for a horse that nearly-but-not-quite wins the Triple Crown. In particular, two wins and one place, which actually is pretty uncommon; just four times since Affirmed (thanks again, INRS!).
Anyway, I think time does matter when it comes to any kind of Grand Slam. But if we can have a “career Grand Slam”, certainly coming up with a consecutive-years one shouldn’t be a problem. “Split”, for example. Or “noncalendar year”. On second thought, just go with “split”. Simple.
I didn’t “forget” it, but she won all four majors in the same year, so she has a “legitimate” Grand Slam.
Excuse me for a minute…
checks Internet - Martin Kaymer wins this year’s U.S. Open, and by eight strokes, no less
Excuse me while I go climb down from some statements about how Sports Illustrated was going to find a way not to give Sportsman of the Year to Rory “after winning three straight majors”…
Indeed, Rory ‘only’ wins a “career slam” if he wins the Masters next year (or any other year, of course). I think I’ve seen the term “non-calendar year slam” used for winning all four majors in a row, but not in the same calendar year. This is slightly below a grand slam and significantly above a career slam in terms of difficulty. But it’s hardly catchy. I think it is worth mentioning the difference, though - most sports have a playing season, even though the off season for golf and tennis is pretty short. It’s more impressive to win all four majors in the course of a single season than it is to win the final two, then take some time off to rest up and practice ahead of winning the first two the following season.
I’d prefer to stick with a technical name like “non-calendar year Grand Slam” fits, but it’s not hard to understand why people prefer something shorter.
Because it means you’ve had a better season. Sports are broken up into seasons and we’re biased toward evaluating things that way.
Split Slam, Grand Slam, and Career Slam work for me. Simple, all two words, and all descriptive enough (for those that know what a Slam is in the first place anyways).