McILROY LOOKS A PAST MASTER

RORY McILROY used to be the future of golf.

He won his first Major at the 2011 US Open by eight shots aged 22 and looked unstoppable when he claimed back- to- back Majors in his golden summer of 2014.

But the Northern Irishman, 31, has now gone 21 Majors since his US PGA win at Louisville without seriously contending in the final nine on a

Sunday despite 11 top- 10 finishes. At Winged Foot, his outside hopes of a late charge from six shots back were swiftly ended by a four- putt double bogey on the first hole.

It was all horribly predictable as he finished tied eighth on the tough track. All 28 of McIlroy’s professional victories have come with a winning score of at least 12 under par.

Yet his bewildered post- round comments about Bryson DeChambeau clearly showed he did not see the American’s style of win coming.

Since 2014, Brooks Koepka has drawn level with McIlroy on four Majors with his big game.

Now after 23- year- old Collin Morikawa won the US PGA with a fearless final round 64, golf- obsessed DeChambeau, at 27, is promising to change the game even more with Augusta National next on his hit list.

Before the second Major of the year, Sky Sports analyst Paul McGinley claimed McIlroy needs an “edge” and “a point to prove” to play well – and he is currently too happy at becoming a first- time father to compete.

Maybe getting sand kicked in his face by a new generation of muscle- bound stars – 21- year- old Matt Wolff finished second on his

US Open debut – will motivate McIlroy.

Or playing the Masters in damp November, when he doesn’t have the usual eight- month build- up, could help his bid to finally complete his career Grand Slam.

The world No4 still has the length off the tee to compete for the top titles. But the longer his Major drought goes on, the further his greatest achievements are in the past.