Rory McIlroy's always been hit and miss... but he'll get back on top, says Paul McGinley

Exclusive: McGinley says world No4 will regain form but Open will be a 'tough ask'
Shaping up: Rory McIlroy practises at the course yesterday, where his swing looks in good order but it is his putting that has been a problem
PA
Tony Jiminez19 July 2017

The critics are queueing up to berate Rory McIlroy for a run of three missed cuts in four tournaments but they may do well to remember that the Holywood star’s captivating career has been packed with exhilarating peaks and jaw-dropping troughs.

Who can forget the teenager with the chubby cheeks and the spectacularly unkempt curly black locks who burst on the scene as a precocious 18-year-old amateur to fire a 68, the only bogey-free round, on the opening day of the 2007 Open at Carnoustie?

McIlroy went on to finish tied 42nd and his display paved the way for a brilliant start to life as a professional although things over the past decade have not always been rosy for the Northern Irishman.

“We forget very quickly that Rory is not a flat-liner, he doesn’t always turn in a high level of performance, he goes up and he goes down,” the 2014 European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley told the Evening Standard.

“Rory is an inspirational player, he’s not a technical player, that’s one of the things that makes him so appealing and so engaging. That’s why people are so interested in him.

“He’s not a player who churns out top 10s week after week.

“He’s always been a little bit hit and miss throughout his whole career and sometimes we lose sight of that.

“That’s all part of his make-up, that’s who he is.”

McIlroy’s maiden European Tour win came in Dubai in 2009 and, after a stunning collapse cost him victory at the 2011 US Masters, his first Major championship title was pocketed at the US Open two months later. He landed his second Major at the 2012 US PGA, climbing to No1 in the world. But he slipped to sixth in the rankings a year later after finding it tough to adjust to new equipment after signing a money-spinning endorsement deal with Nike.

The McIlroy rollercoaster continued in 2014 as he bulldozed his way back to No1 with victories in The Open and US PGA. Since then, though, a fifth Major has proved elusive.

McIlroy’s 2017 season started badly when he was forced to take time off after sustaining a stress fracture in one of his ribs and that, according to McGinley, is why he is struggling going into the year’s third Major.

Support: McGinley has faith in McIlroy 
Getty Images

“The glue that’s missing at the moment is a little bit of confidence,” said the Sky Sports commentator.

“There’s nothing big going on apart from a lack of confidence. Rory’s going through a low, he hasn’t won this year for a number of reasons, from injury to changing equipment [again] and as a result we haven’t seen him get into his flow yet. He hasn’t been able to get into a run of tournaments, he hasn’t been able to get a run of form.”

McGinley said the critics have short memories and need only look back to 2016 to see how quickly things can often change for McIlroy.

“In last year’s US PGA Championship at Baltusrol he took a six at the last hole and missed the cut,” explained the 50-year-old Irishman. “Rory did not compete in any of the Majors last year in terms of going close to winning and yet a month after the US PGA he goes and picks up $10million for winning the FedExCup series.

“He’s that kind of player. Sometimes we lose sight of his DNA and his DNA is not being a flat-liner, churning out top 10s week in, week out.”

McIlroy’s driving and long irons seemed in decent order when he missed the cut at last week’s Scottish Open but he toiled on the greens and was surprisingly inaccurate from 100 yards in, with his wedged approaches a source of irritation.

Butch Harmon, one of the world’s best swing coaches, accused the Northern Irishman this week of looking “robotic” with the putter, saying he did not appear relaxed or confident.

McGinley does not believe there is anything seriously wrong with McIlroy’s game and is backing the world No4 to regain his form soon.

“It might not happen this week but it’s going to happen,” said McGinley. “When things aren’t happening you look for reasons. He seems to be swinging the club in a similar way to before but the odds on him contending this week are stacked against him. He’s coming in on the back of injury, he’s still bedding in new equipment and he hasn’t been able to get in the flow of the season so far.

“If you are a Rory fan there are not a lot of things that are going in his favour. He’s obviously a world-class player and is capable of going from back-to-back missed cuts to winning The Open but it’s a very big ask and probably an unfair ask,” said McGinley.

“I think if Rory was to have a good week this week, and maybe get a top-10 finish, it would be a step in the right direction for him and a step towards returning to form.”

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