One round of golf with the president and CEO of Maple Sports & Entertainment, and it appears Rory McIlroy has The Passion.
"If I can win the Masters, then the Leafs can win the Stanley Cup," McIlroy said after Wednesday's Pro-Am at the Canadian Open, per TSN's Bob Weekes.
McIlroy spent the day in a group with MLSE boss Keith Pelley. The two are familiar with each other, as Pelley was the commissioner and CEO of the DP World Tour from 2015 to 2024 before taking on his current job with MLSE.
Pelley gifted McIlroy a custom Maple Leafs jersey after their round.
McIlroy won the 2025 Masters in April to complete the career grand slam. The victory came nearly 11 years after his last major win at the 2014 PGA Championship.
Maple Leafs fans have been waiting a little bit longer for a Stanley Cup, as they haven't hoisted the trophy - or even been to the final - since 1967. They were eliminated in Round 2 of the playoffs by the defending champion Florida Panthers this year.
McIlroy is a two-time winner of the Canadian Open. This year's tournament gets underway Thursday at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.