A name that tends to be on everyone’s lips when a major championship rolls around, Rory McIlroy is once again a favorite going into The Open at Royal Troon.
Five top-five finishes in the last three months on the PGA Tour bodes well for the 35-year-old, a player who has hit form at the right time.
Here, The Golfing Gazette takes a look at Rory McIlroy’s chances, the big talking points, and weighing up his positives against the negatives.
Rory McIlroy and his current form
McIlroy is currently third in the FedEx Cup rankings, performing consistently over the last three months.
He hasn’t finished outside the top 15 in his last seven PGA Tour outings but failed to retain the Scottish Open, with Robert MacIntyre pipping McIlroy to the trophy.
McIlroy was ‘seriously frustrated’, however, he did finish in a tie for fourth place, which is still a decent performance.
Bryson DeChambeau heartbreak for McIlroy at the US Open
The climax of the US Open 2024 was unlike anything seen in a long time. And with so much drama, it was great for the neutral to watch, even better for Bryson DeChambeau, but heart-breaking for McIlroy.
He missed two crucial putts on the back nine, giving DeChambeau an opening he capitalized on.
You could see the pain in McIlroy’s eyes as he watched DeChambeau putt for victory from the clubhouse – pain which The Northern Irishman will use as motivation in The Open.
McIlroy was even contacted by basketball great Michael Jordan afterward, someone who knows a thing or two about overcoming sporting adversity.
Rory McIlroy’s history at Royal Troon
McIlroy competed in the last Open at Royal Troon in 2016, finishing in a tie for fifth place. He moved up four places in the leaderboard on the final day, but couldn’t catch the winner of that year, Henrik Stenson.
He won the Claret Jug in 2014 and from 2014 to 2018, McIlroy finished inside the top five in every Open he competed in.
Should McIlroy be competing for his second Claret Jug, he will have to channel the form of 2016, but be on it from the start, as McIlroy can be slow to start in majors.
He will also have to keep his composure at key times, and not let slip-ups occur as they did in the US Open.
If McIlroy can get in the zone and be consistent over the coming days, he will have a great chance of winning The Open, because he certainly has to ability to do so.
The Golfing Gazette predict Rory McIlroy’s Open fate
The Golfing Gazette writers predict who they think will happen with McIlroy at The Open 2024:
Sam Stone: “McIlroy’s US Open heartbreak will be a tough one to get over, and I can’t see it happening this week. As much as the golfing world wants Rory to end his ten-year wait for major number five, there are players in better form who will stand in his way.
“He will have to improve upon his performance at the Scottish Open, and a fast start is non-negotiable if he’s to keep pace. Unfortunately, the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Aberg and Bryson DeChambeau could make life extremely difficult this week.”
Peter Lynch: “McIlroy is on the right trajectory when it comes to majors in 2024, having improved upon his T22 Masters showing with a T12 finish at the PGA Championship.
“That path continued at the US Open, with the four-time major winner finishing as runner-up after his nightmare final round at Pinehurst.
“The world number two will respond to that collapse in one of two ways at Royal Troon, with McIlroy definitely in with a real possibility of lifting the Claret Jug once more this week. He will be in contention after four days.”
Jordan Harris: “In 2020, I made a bet with a friend that Rory McIlroy would win another major before 2025, so this week is the final chance to win that bet.
“Going with heart over head, and saying that the Northern Irishman wins the whole thing and completes his redemption arc after the US Open.”
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