Rory McIlroy had another hugely successful 2024 and he’s the leader going into the Race for Dubai as he looks to close off another fine year of golf.
McIlroy has once again won multiple times through the season across both PGA and DP World Tours and for the average golfer, it would be class as a massive year.
However, Rory McIlroy is not the average golfer. Even in the professional ranks.
His season, regardless of the success he’s had, is still overshadowed by inability to win that elusive fifth major and end a ten-year barren spell.
Indeed, his agonising defeat at the US Open which saw Bryson DeChambeau win was one of the sporting highlights – or lowlights or McIlroy – of 2024.
Still, McIlroy remains one of the best in the world and according to former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, there’s plenty to come from the Northern Irishman.
Paul McGinley makes Rory McIlroy prediction for 2025
Speaking in an interview with The Irish Independent, McGinley got onto the subject of McIlroy and his future.
And according to McGinley, Rory’s time is due to come again.
“I think Rory is a better player now than he has ever been before. You look at the stats and you can see that. You can nit pick and say maybe his wedge play could be a bit better but it’s not far off compared to the top players in the world, you are only talking an average of a couple of feet,” McGinley said.
“Rory hits a lot of really good wedge shots. He is a phenomenal player, I think he is a better player now than ever before but also the competition is better now than ever before. He is coming up against – particular Scheffler and Xander – that’s a high bar he is coming up against.
“When Rory first burst onto the scene it came with Tiger, Phil and Ernie getting a bit old and there was a bit of a vacuum there and he burst into it.
“I know it’s 10 years since he has won a major but he has been phenomenally successful everywhere else in terms of winning and if you are to say to me why he doesn’t win more majors I think the psychological damage of ever not doing it. Of course that’s a big part.
Adding further weight to the argument about McIlroy’s mentality when trying to win, McGinley suggested that is something the 35-year-old can improve on.
“Rory is at his best when he’s dominant and he’s mentally engaged. He does come in and out of being mentally engaged and if you look at the best players – the very best player like Tiger and Nicklaus. They were brilliant in rounds one to three and brilliant at getting a lead. Nearly all his majors were won from a 54 hole lead. Rory is not good, he leaves himself too much to do on a Sunday and makes a gallop and makes a mistake at the wrong time and falls back again.
“I think it’s a matter of time [before he wins a major]. I think it’s 10 times in the last 10 years going into the last round where he has been within five of the lead going into the last round. I want to see five times where he is leading going into the last round! His closing rate is excellent when he goes into the final round in the lead.”
Will Rory McIlroy ever win another major?
That’s the big question on every golf fans mind ahead of any new season in the sport.
As we all know, the big one for McIlroy is winning at Augusta and completing the career grand slam.
However, right now, McIlroy would take any major win simply to get the monkey off his back over number five and that has to be his goal for 2025.
Bryson DeChambeau has predicted McIlroy to win multiple more majors while good friend Ian Poulter has also backed that stance, with Poulter suggesting McIlroy is too good to not win another.
Ultimately, it’s going to come down to McIlroy and what he can produce. Sure, he will need a stroke of luck as anyone does.
But nobody can hit the shots or the putts needed to win at crucial moments and when it comes down to it, that’s McIlroy’s job to get it done.
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