Rory McIlroy - 4 Time Major Winner

Sure he might as well. He’s playing so bad what difference does it make anyway according to some on here. He can hit another howler and tell us all in real time how horrible it feels. Great insight. LOL

Doesn’t look like anyone will be giving out about Rory doing a Sandy Lyle in 30 yrs time.

I get golf and it can go wrong...but if Tiger finishes below Rory ..that is wrong on every level in my head....I don't get it...

I get all that...but still ridiculous...have the likes of couples too...

Whilst the course looks set up easy enough (slow on greens ) - nothing mad pin wise. Rory was hitting wild shots and was never really pin high - then on top of all that, his putting was muck. The change of putter definitely doesn't work. As for his caddy - he seem pointless. All the other top players are so involved with their caddy and they guide them around when things are going wrong.

Rory goes into a hole - and goes deeper and deeper. If this lad harry is such a good mate - why can't he talk to him.

Done to death - but the more and more you see of modern golf and improved sound - you see how different Rory is.

And - it could be indicative that - he likes to be his own man (as we know) and he doesn't like input.

Anyway - at the moment - His driving is poor - his irons are wild and his putting is terrible. He seems to be able to bounce back to a great game for periods - he is an enigma.

I think he has a huge mental scar since 2011 when he lost the Masters when going into the final round 4 strokes ahead. He choked that year at Augusta and has never looked like winning it since.

I don't get it here. It feels like people are genuinely happy to say "I told you so" at the guys expense?

People questioning his mentality is just madness, bar Tiger and a freak year for Brooks the majors have NEVER been dominated by a single player. The quality of the field is incredible. Anyone of the top 50 can win it with a few good rounds.

He was what...8 or so shots behind scottie in the FedEx and won it. He led the open outright for a long period and despite a putting masterclass from Smith he had that won to.

Unlucky Rory

2011 was the best Masters I’ve ever seen and probably ever will see. Off the top of my head I think something like 7 different players led at different stages on Sunday. It’s always only remember for what happened McIlroy but for me it’s hands down the best Masters.

Mentally he just struggles there, probably wants it too much and builds it up too much in his head. Unfortunately I don't think he'll ever win it.

His best bet I think would be no practice rounds, no interviews, just arrive at Augusta Thursday morning warm up and tee off.

What are you implying? That this should be a Rory appreciation thread only, no criticism or analysis.

He hasn’t won a major in 9 years. For a guy who has been either World No 1 or close to it all during that time something is wrong. People are going to question that.

It has felt like that on this thread over the years. Some of us who maybe casually follow golf and then are hooked on the majors are made to feel like we're turning up uninvited at a house party when we comment on a poor performance by McIlroy.

I'd say it's more than 1 in 20 based even on the number of majors he hasn't won since 2014. It's 1 in over 30 at the moment.

The Masters has become such a big deal because of the career grand slam etc that if he wins 6 other majors and doesn't win the Masters, it'll always be mentioned.

It's like those Gaa players who were all time greats, but it's mentioned all the same that they never won an All Ireland.

Hopefully McIlroy does it. Feels like his only chance is to come from behind and win it that way with the pressure off.

what happened in 2011 left it’s mark and at this stage I think the back 9 that day will define his career at Augusta. It won’t define his career but definitely at that course. He’s tried everything in his pursuit of a green jacket and so far nothing has worked. What he does now only he knows but this will hurt him.

I did think the media coverage that he put his hand up for was strange beforehand and it just looks even worse now. The way he was talking he just needed to show up and follow whatever plan he had in place. Some of the stuff he was at, shows how good Woods was. The pressure McIlroy puts on himself at Augusta every year, Woods had it and dealt with it every week he played. The mental block McIlroy has at that course must be crippling and the pressure showed and continues to show.

As entertaining as it was for us watching at home, the carry on with the walk and talk on the 9th on Thursday was absolutely madness from him. I was shocked he did it and even more so that he volunteered to it. That won’t be happening again I’d be very confident of that.