Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Sorry Rory, you won’t win in the state of Georgia
MCGINLEY: THE PRESSURE OF AUGUSTA GETS TO HIM. HE’S LOST THAT ENERGY, THAT ’GET OUT OF MY WAY’ ATTITUDE..AND HIS IRON PLAY HAS SLUMPED SINCE LOCKDOWN
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RORY MCILROY can forget being measured up for a Green Jacket this week according to Paul Mcginley – but the former Ryder Cup captain is still predicting a European Masters winner.
Mcilroy begins the quest for his missing Major on Thursday, hoping the distraction of becoming a father two months ago, will help to counteract the heightened pressure which has consumed him in the past at Augusta.
But while family life may be good for Mcilroy (suffering a f i n a l - r o u n d Ma s t e r s meltdown in 2011, right),
Mcginley does not feel the world No.5’s game is where it needs to be for him to complete the career Grand Slam.
“Rory thrives on confidence and momentum and he’s got neither. It’s hard to find a reason why he will win the Masters this week,” said Mcginley.
“I think trying to become only the sixth player in history to win all four Majors weighs heavily on him. We’ve seen that in the last two years and that’s going to be the case here.
“There is also his iron play. Before lockdown, that was the strongest part of his game. Post-lockdown, it is his weakest.
“The only thing that could work for him is that he is so off form that people might disregard him and he might be able to fly under the radar more than he normally would. But I wouldn’t be fancying him this week.”
Mcilroy picked up his first victory as a professional in 2009 at the Dubai Desert Classic, since when he has won every year except 2017, when he was twice a runner-up. This year, in 16 tournaments, he has yet to win or finish second and has been pushed aside by Br yson Dechambeau in terms of preMasters attention.
“Rory doesn’t particularly like having a low profile,” said Mcginley, who will be part of the Sky Sports Golf team this week.
“He likes to be the centre of attention. I’m hoping he gets ignited by everyone talking about Bryson, Jon Rahm and Dustin Johnson and that, behind the scenes, he is stoking himself to play the way we have seen him in the past. That energetic, b ouncin g down the fairways, get-out-of-my -way attitude, we haven’t seen for quite a while.” While t h e bi g - h itt i n g Dechambeau (top right) is the bookmakers’ favourite rite after winning the US Open, Mcginley’s inley’s money is on world No.2 Rahm. m.
“It’s a matter of time before Jon starts winning Major jor championships and this could uld well be the start of it,” he added.
“He’s got every facet t of the game you need. He’s ’s a big hitter, a great putter, r, he’s won twice already this year and he’s trending ing in the right direction. n.
“He’s been world ld
No.1 and will be again soon. For me, e, he’s going to be the e player who is going to dominate the next five years of professional golf.”