Rory McIlroy - 4 Time Major Winner

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118877724#Comment_118877724

Unless you are blind you could see how hard he was swinging the club last weekend.

I play golf, pick teams for competitions etc.

I don't say things unless I'm pretty confident about them.

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118877724#Comment_118877724

You're dead right, but the frustration most of us are responding to is that Rory is clearly on a different level, a level where his worldwide wins mean very little as he is in that upper core of players who will be thought of and remembered via the amount of Majors they won.

When it comes to Majors Rory hasn't done a thing since 2014 and that has us shaking our heads given the talent he oozes.

He should be in double digits by now or very close to, that would rank him with Jack, Tiger, Hagen, Hogan, Player and Watson.

That's where Rory wants to be remembered, he also wants the career Grand Slam

Mantis Toboggan

He's oozing talent now 🤣

The Guru 123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118883381#Comment_118883381

Look I don't want to offend you or anything but you've no idea if he was swinging the club faster or harder than usual last weekend unless you actually saw the numbers. Picking a Pierce Purcell team doesn't mean you can accurately critique the swing of one of the world's best golfers.

Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. We don't know that from watching on tv but I very much doubt there was much difference in his swing speed compared to any other week if you were to measure it.

By the way Rory's swing speed is over 120mph with a driver, he always swings "hard".

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118884251#Comment_118884251

So, no one should think it is his swing, nor his head, nor the caddy is the reason why he performs so poorly, what could it be?

Swinging hard off the tee is expected, maybe less so with a wedge.

Rikand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118884569#Comment_118884569

Ah the course just didn't suit him

OEP

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118884201#Comment_118884201

I think it's a bit ridiculous to say he should be a double digits or very close to it.

Comparing golfers of different eras is a bit futile. Tiger and Jack aside, who transcend all generations, I think you have to look at them within their generation. It was arguably easier to win multiple majors the further back in time you go. Rory and Brooks have the most of this generation. Rory should probably have won more but by now but to say double digits is a bit crazy. 6 would be a good haul for his career in my opinion, along with everything else he has and will win. A grand slam would make him an all time great

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118884813#Comment_118884813

He won 4 in just over 2 yrs, when in his early 20s, why would it be ridiculous for someone to say he should be close to double digits by now? Difficult, yes, ridiculous, no. In 2014, it was fair to assume a lot of fans thought Mcilroy would add many majors to those 4.

OEP

In 2014 yea, but with the benefit of hindsight, and seeing two other players (Spieth, Koepka), winning multiple majors in a couple of years, it seems like it's all about making hay during a hot streak. So yes, saying today that he should have double digit majors is ridiculous.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118884251#Comment_118884251

He was nearly falling over at times. Did you watch him playing?

Motivator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118877724#Comment_118877724

Sorry to disagree with your opinion, but the caddie comment is total nonsense. If he kept JP on his bag he’d have another couple of majors absolutely no doubt in my mind. Caddies are as important to a player as the clubs.

Certain players go out of their way to get particular caddies on their bag. It’s hardly because they’re a good laugh for 18 holes a day is it? Harrington said he wouldn’t have won his first British Open without Ronan Flood. Adam Scott wouldn’t have won the Masters without Stevie Williams. There’s literally 100 examples of players praising their caddies for wind and how important they are and going into detail why.

If Harry Diamond wasn’t McIlroy’s best pal there’s absolutely no way he’d be caddying for anyone let alone one of the best players in the world. He may not admit it tomorrow or even in 5 years time but I guarantee you at some point McIlroy will admit having Diamond on the bag for so long was a big mistake.

He’s got his 4 majors, his legacy is absolutely confirmed but no question McIlroy could and should have an even better career. He should retire with 10 majors, he’s they good, but he won’t and these 8+ barren years will all boil down to choices he’s made as opposed to being held back by his talent which is or never has been in doubt.

Keano

I really thought the caddy thing had been done to death but seems not... If you say JP was so good why didn't Rory complete the grand slam with him on the bag? Where was JP when Rory hit into the trees on the Sunday of the Masters? Rory is the one who is making the mistakes, Rory is one not getting the ball closer to the hole, Rory is the one hitting shots all over the shop

Mantis Toboggan

Shouda woulda coulda, Harrington could have won 10 majors if he didn't have his buddy on the bag, DJ coulda won 15 majors if he didn't have his brother on the bag, yadda yadda yadda.

Motivator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887626#Comment_118887626

“Where was JP when Rory hit into the trees on the Sunday of the Masters?”

He was beside him doing his best to unscramble his brain, that’s where he was. I’m not sure you’re a big golf follower if you can’t understand the significance of a caddie, but no shame in that.

OEP

Saying you've no doubt in your mind that he'd have won another couple of majors due to a caddy is just bizarre.

thefallingman

he can't hit a choked down wedge to save his life, it's 100% full swing or nothing, it's his feel in my opinion and what's between the ears, Tiger will do better than him this week with a fused back and a leg that hardly works

The Guru 123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887913#Comment_118887913

No one is saying caddy isn't significant. What we're saying (or I'm saying at least) is that we have no idea if Harry Diamond is a good or bad caddy, if he's better or worse than JP. If Rory had JP on the bag maybe he'd have more majors by now or maybe he would be in an even worse slump than he is at the moment. We simply don't know and we'll never know.

On what basis is Harry not a good caddy? He's a top level amateur golfer himself and he knows Rory very well. They seem like two big positives in his favour, beyond that we've no idea really if he's good or not do we?

What are you basing it on that anybody is a "good" caddy? They're not the ones ultimately responsible for the decisions and the results so its impossible to ascertain how much input or otherwise they had in any outcome.

If I asked you to name a good caddy I'd be fairly certain you'd name Stevie Williams and Bones Mackay. Is it just a coincidence that those two are best known for caddying for the 2 best players of the last 25 years? Are they genuinely "great" (even writing that seems silly) caddies or did the brilliance of their players make them great?

An argument I had with a few people lately about caddies actually relates back to Rory and Harry in Abu Dhabi earlier this season when Rory hit the 3 wood into the water on 18. People were blaming Harry for not "making" Rory lay up. That's absolutely not on Harry at all, that's all on Rory. He wanted to go for it, he hit the shot, he put it in the water.

If Harry had made a huge song and dance about laying up there more than likely Rory still would have gone for it anyway as ultimately he's the man making the decision. So Harry making a huge deal of that would most likely put doubt in Rory's mind and he'd ultimately blame Harry for putting the doubt in his head and Rory wouldn't be wrong to do that, having doubt in his head would have made him less likely to pull off the shot.

DellyBelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118884251#Comment_118884251

I think if you have the ability to pick a team then you do have knowledge of the golf swing. It's not a job for anyone; really only knowledgeable golfers imo.

goldenmick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118886646#Comment_118886646

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118888142#Comment_118888142

Exactly.

I see Rory's main problem as him trying to get extra distance and crunch at every par 5, and long par 4's, for two mighty swipes to the green. Maybe he feels that as many others are now getting extra distance (Dechambeau being a prime example) he should be too. But he's got to remember that his game is not in the same place as it was 7-8 years ago.

I seriously think it's all down to "over-trying". In most instances his inaccuracy off the tee destroys any hope of a birdie opportunity let alone an eagle. Even his second shots he gives too much welly to.

He should take a look at some of the top tour players who make up for lack of driving distance with excellent accuracy. I'm pretty sure that if he likewise concentrated on accuracy and position, as opposed to driving distance, then his game will quickly become more steady and reliable.

Some may say that it's just the way that Rory plays. Well maybe that style of play served him well years ago, but it's obviously not doing him any favours now.

thefallingman

I don't think his caddy has anything to do with it, there's a reason they are only paid 10%

Rory hasn't won a major since 2014, it was another lifetime ago and another Rory, he's not the player he was, still has unreal talent of course and a great driving swing but it's a long time since he shot 4 low rounds in a row, in saying that he's some man for shooting low in the last round when he has no chance of winning to make the top ten and earn money which really seems to be his only motivation

Keano

He doesn’t need any money so it’s not the money! It’s just his mind seems so free on the Sunday he plays the golf he is very capable of. It’s not his fault those above him the leaderboard drop away!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118888271#Comment_118888271

thefallingman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118888466#Comment_118888466

ah yes never said it was his fault and listen nothing wrong with shooting up the leaderboard it's a good thing for him, why he cant do it on a thursday friday and saturday is his issue since 2014

Maybe he is just very unlucky that enough don’t drop away.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118888271#Comment_118888271

Just on the caddy. Scheffler got Bubba's old caddy and he's been brilliant since then. Justin Thomas is second favourite for the Masters with a three time winning caddy.

The caddy is very important.

The Guru 123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118888271#Comment_118888271

Sure if money is his only motivation and he can turn it on and off like that then why doesn't he just play well for the 4 days and he'd win even more money?

thefallingman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118888637#Comment_118888637

he's 10% important

thefallingman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118888647#Comment_118888647

look between his ears guru i can't answer for him but there's years worth of stats to see where the issue lies, and it's not his caddy or his coach, and by the way i'm not saying he cant go out and blow the field away of course he can, but we just havent seen it in a major in 8 years.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118888794#Comment_118888794

Every bit helps when you are competing against the world's best.

bustercherry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118888233#Comment_118888233

Who picks a team by looking at a person's golf swing 😁

FFS it's about current form, results in practice and previous matches etc.... Some people just cannot play under the pressure in inter club regardless of how nice a swing they are perceived to have. You can look like Adam Scott swinging the club but if your short game and putting is not up to scratch, you are not good enough for inter club and will not be picked.

I'm actually p1ssing myself laughing at that post.

Mantis Toboggan

If he can shoot level par or better then I'll start to believe it's possible, how many times does he shoot an over par first round in a major and is already too far behind. Since 2015 he's a combined 34 over for round one and then 60 under for rounds 2 to 4.