Rory McIlroy probably feels that there is now little that he can do over the coming months to silence the talk over the impact of what happened to him in the final holes of this year’s US Open.
Since Rory McIlroy‘s last major win in 2014, he has arguably never been closer to securing a fifth title than he was at Pinehurst, when he had a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau down the back nine, only to lose by one after bogeying three of the final four holes.
Victory at the Irish Open last week would not have healed all of those wounds, but the 35-year-old’s critics would have to give him enormous credit for securing a fourth win of 2024. And it did seem that McIlroy was well on his way towards winning at Royal County Down.
McIlroy started the final day one shot clear of the field and went on to make a birdie on the first and second holes. Unfortunately, the back nine brilliance of Rasmus Hojgaard, as well as another three putt at the worst possible time for McIlroy meant that he needed an eagle on the last to force a play-off with the Dane.
What separates Rory McIlroy from Tiger Woods after Irish Open disappointment
He gave it a phenomenal shot, producing an approach reminiscent of his second on 18 at last year’s Scottish Open. But his putt just slipped by to deny McIlroy his second Irish Open title.
McIlroy has had to deal with a raft of questions concerning his recent record in the major championships. And speaking on The Chipping Forecast, DP World Tour player Eddie Pepperell suggested what he thinks separates McIlroy from someone like Tiger Woods.
“Winning is obviously very hard. He’s won far more than most. I hesitate to say this, but one wonders if he doesn’t have a huge killer instinct in stroke play events, even in spite of the many victories he’s had,” he said.
“And actually, it just makes you wonder how many wins he would have if he had the kind of killer instinct that Tiger had, or you could argue somebody like a Brooks Koepka or a Jon Rahm has. I think that goes to show the level of talent that Rory has, I think it is unparalleled since Tiger, I still maintain that.
“His ability to play golf, hit shots, as we saw, his two shots into 18 on Sunday were just unbelievable. He’ll be kicking himself, and I think he’s got to try and find a way in his mid-30s as he moves into his late-30s of engendering a mindset that’s going to help him cross the line more frequently than he currently is.”
Why regular events may not motivate Northern Irishman in the same way at this stage of his career
It would make a lot of sense if McIlroy did struggle to find that killer instinct in many of the tournaments that he plays. Ultimately, he has won virtually everything in the game, including three of the four majors, the Ryder Cup and The Tour Championship.
And his career is likely to largely be judged by how many major championships he has won, so motivating himself most weeks may be more challenging than it would be when he is preparing for The Masters every year, for example.
The problem McIlroy faces is that other tournaments do not have the same stakes as the majors, so it will only be when he returns to being in contention in one of the sport’s four biggest events that he gets the chance to truly bounce back from the US Open heartbreak.
Should he get number five, Pepperell is clearly convinced that he has the ability to swiftly follow it with plenty more.
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