Paul McGinley has backed Rory McIlroy to win more Major titles, but admits he has “scar tissue” to deal with following a decade without a title in one of the showpiece events.
The newly appointed strategic adviser to the European Ryder Cup team spoke to the Irish Independent about what’s holding the four-time Major winner back when it comes to the big four tournaments and began by explaining doubt has crept in after such a long gap without a title.
In the interview, McGinley stated: “Look, I don’t want to give the impression that Rory is mentally weak, he’s far from it. You look at his career in the last 10 years and what he’s won since he last won a Major championship, and it’s phenomenal, it’s unmatched. Nobody comes close.
“He is by far, in my opinion, the best player in the modern era and by no means is he mentally weak. But there is an element of doubt that’s crept in, that’s been validated by 10 years of not succeeding in Major championships. He knows that. We all know it.”
McGinley likened McIlroy’s predicament to the one that had been experienced by the most recent winner of a men’s Major, Xander Schauffele, who won his first title at the 28th time of asking at last month’s PGA Championship.
He explained: “We saw it with Xander Schauffele. We saw the weight of expectation on his shoulders, we saw the pressure.
“The element of doubt has risen every year and it’s been validated by not getting over the line, and it’s only a natural human emotion. And that’s what Xander was saying. He said, ‘Nobody was harder on me than myself’. He said, ‘I had a lot of dark moments’.”
McGinley also believes McIlroy’s acute understanding of the significance of Major titles is holding him back. He said: “When you have a brain and when you think and you have emotions, that’s when it’s toughest.”
Paul McGinley believes knowing the importance of Major titles is holding Rory McIlroy back
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“If you have a John Daly approach, let’s just say, where you couldn’t care less, well it’s a lot easier to get over the line from that state of mind than it is if you’re somebody who deeply understands the importance of winning Major championships like Rory does. So he’s in a difficult place but it’s not a…
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