Rory McIlroy told he will win 'another three or four majors' if he overcomes 'psychological' issue
Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley believes Rory McIlroy can still double his collection of four major championships, but he believes the world number two has "psychological" barriers to overcome.
McIlroy's decade-long wait for a major win goes on after finishing tied for 12th at the PGA Championship at Valhalla on Sunday. The Northern Irishman started the week in promising fashion with an opening round of five-under-par, but he could not keep pace with the leading pack from Friday onwards in low-scoring conditions.
The 35-year-old has not tasted major glory since his win at Valhalla in 2014, raising doubts about whether he will add to his haul of four major titles. But McGinley, who captained McIlroy at the Ryder Cup that year, believes big wins are in the Ulsterman's future, if he can overcome the mental scars that have formed over the past decade.
“There are two issues as to why he is not the player he was back then when it comes to major championships,” McGinley told Golf Channel. “The fields are stronger now. Back then, he was a young guy forging his way, and his elbows were at their pointiest. It was really a case of, ‘I am on a march to be the top player in the game, so get out of my way’.
“He had a clear vision. As you get there and climb the mountain, can you stay there? He has done that in PGA Tour events where his win ratio of 10 per cent is fantastic compared to anyone else. Even Scottie Scheffler has only a win ratio of 8 per cent.”
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Paul McGinley believes McIlroy still has the game to win the biggest tournaments if he can overcome his mental scars
“But there is no doubt that there is a psychological build-up from not getting over the line in major championships since he hasn’t circumnavigated yet. I say yet because if he gets it once, I feel – maybe not – that there are certainly another three or four majors in Rory McIlroy.”
McIlroy will not play at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial in Memphis this week after a busy period on and off the course. He filed for divorce from his wife Erica Stoll last week after seven years of marriage.
The 35-year-old, who has won his past two starts on the PGA Tour, will next tee it up at the Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club on May 30. McIlroy has won the event twice before and a positive performance north of the border will boost his hopes of contending for the US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 next month.
“I’ve been on a big stretch of golf here,” he said after his four-under-par final round on Sunday. “I think this was my sixth event in seven weeks. “I’ve got a week off and then I’m playing another four in a row. I’m feeling good about my game.
“I feel like things are sort of clicking more, especially after the win in New Orleans. Obviously played well last week in Charlotte. Have a week here to sort of reset and try to get going again.”