Rory McIlroy just proved he’s no chance of US Open success with career at risk of snowballing following Canadian Open

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It seems bizarre to think that just a month or so ago we were all waxing lyrical about Rory McIlroy as he finally won The Masters and now, having missed the cut by 10 strokes at the Canadian Open, we’re having to question his interest in the sport.

McIlroy capped a fine career by winning in dramatic style at Augusta National in April.

It was the moment he’d worked all his career for and he was showered with praise and everything that goes with it in the aftermath.

However, McIlroy has since admitted he’s struggled to find the same motivation and that couldn’t have been more evident at this week’s Canadian Open.

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McIlroy finished nine over par, with just four players scoring worse than him over two rounds.

And with the US Open coming up next week, there are big concerns for McIlroy that could spread wider than just his performance at Oakmont.

Rory McIlroy has no chance of winning the US Open

While we can never count any golfer out of winning any tournament, this week’s test at TPC Toronto should have been good prep for McIlroy.

Tight fairways, long and wet rough, and tricky pins offered an insight into what might be to come at Oakmont in a weeks’ time.

However, to say McIlroy fluffed his lines in rehearsals for that US Open runout would be an understatement.

McIlroy’s performance was, by his standards, abysmal. He lost more than 10 strokes to the field, hit just 50% of greens in regulation over 36 holes and made just five birdies in two rounds.

Worryingly as well, McIlroy made an eight on the par four fifth, before making another double and three more bogeys on the back nine alone.

One tee shot in particular, on the par four tenth, showed just how wayward McIlroy’s game is right now as he hit what should be a reliable driving iron some 70 yards left and into the long rough up a huge banking.

Those sorts of shot, coupled with everything else, mean that if the same follows at Oakmont, he’s going to be out of the tournament before he even gets going.

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Has Rory McIlroy lost his appetite for winning golf tournaments?

McIlroy said it himself in the press conference before teeing off that he’d lost a touch of motivation in terms of practice and that comment itself was a worry.

However, when you couple that with him apparently not even calling Jack Nicklaus about missing The Memorial, the issues and reluctance to speak to the media at the PGA, and then his apparent quest to rework his driving and add an iron into his bag, it seems like all is not well with McIlroy.

McIlroy has always been a player who thrives on the chase for greatness. But now he’s achieved golfing immortality with the grand slam, could that appetite that’s driven him for so long be leaving him a bit?

Time will tell, and given his talent, there’s every chance McIlroy proves us all wrong and goes on to win at Oakmont.

But right now, there are concerns for one of golf’s greatest and if this carries on for the rest of 2025, it makes 2026 and beyond even tougher for him.