Rory McIlroy’s ex-coach on Irish golfer’s decade-long Major drought – “They put so much pressure on him”

Rory McIlroy recently missed the cut at The Open Championship 2024 at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. He had lost the US Open to Bryson DeChambeau by one shot at Pinehurst last month.

McIlroy’s Major drought continues to haunt the champion golfer. The four-time Major winner last won a Major at the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.

McIlroy’s ex-coach Pete Cowen recently spoke about the pressure to win a Major. In a recent interview with bunkered he talked about Mcllroy missing the cut at Royal Troon. He said:

“There’s a lot of pressure on Rory. He did get the worst part of the draw but you did think he’d have been able to manage his game around there. If you hit some wild shots around there, you’re going to get penalized badly.”

Cowen also criticized the long gap to the next Major after The Open Championship. He said:

“The longer the time span is between Majors, the harder it gets. It’s like winning again, you’ve got to start again almost, reset. That’s the problem with him. They put so much pressure on him winning the Masters and the Grand Slam.”

“That’s almost all he’s thinking about between now and next April which is sad really because the other tournaments deserve the great players to keep playing.”

Pete Cowan was Rory McIlroy’s coach for eight months from March 2021 to November 2021. McIlroy finished T22 at the 2024 Masters and T12 at the 2024 PGA Championship.

A look at Rory McIlroy’s performance in the last few Majors

Rory Mcllroy had a splendid record at the Majors. However, in the last decade, he has failed to win one. In his last six starts at the US Open, he has had three top-five finishes and six top-10 finishes. In his last eight starts before The Open Championship this year, he has had four top-five finishes and five top-10 finishes.

Similarly, in his last eight starts at the Masters, he has three top-five finishes and six top-25 finishes. Even at the PGA Championship, Mcllroy has had three top-10 finishes in his last six starts at the Major.

Here’s a look at Rory McIlroy’s performance in the Majors in the last few years:

US Open

1. 2024 Pinehurst Resort & Country Club (Course No. 2): 2nd (65-72-69-69–275, -5)
2. 2023 The Los Angeles Country Club (North Course): 2nd (65-67-69-70–271, -9)
3. 2022 The Country Club: T-5 (67-69-73-69–278, -2)
4. 2021 Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course): T-7 (70-73-67-73–283, -1)
5. 2020 Winged Foot Golf Club (West Course): T-8 (67-76-68-75–286, +6)
6. 2019 Pebble Beach Golf Links: T-9 (68-69-70-72–279, -5)

Open Championship

1. 2024 Royal Troon: M/C (78,75)
2. 2023 Royal Liverpool: T6 (71, 70, 69, 68)
3. 2022 St Andrews: 3 (66, 68, 66, 70)
4. 2021 Royal St George’s: T46 (70, 70, 69, 71)
5. 2019 Royal Portrush: M/C (79, 65)
6. 2018 Carnoustie: T2 (69, 69, 70, 70)
7. 2017 Royal Birkdale: T4 (71, 68, 69, 67)
8. 2016 Royal Troon: T5 (69, 71, 73, 67)

Masters at Augusta National Golf Club:

1. 2024: T22 (71-77-71-73–292, +4)
2. 2023: – (72-77–149, +7)
3. 2022: 2 (73-73-71-64–281, -3)
4. 2021: – (76-74–150, +10)
5. 2020: T5 (75-66-67-69–277, -7)
6. 2019: T21 (73-71-71-68–283, -5)
7. 2018: T5 (69-71-65-74–279, -9)
8. 2017: T7 (72-73-71-69–285, +5)

PGA Championship

1. 2024 Valhalla Golf Club: T12 (66-71-68-67, -12)
2. 2023 Oak Hill Country Club, East Course: T7 (71-69-69-69, -2)
3. 2022 Southern Hills Country Club: 8 (65-71-74-68, -2)
4. 2021 The Ocean Course: T49 (75-72-74-72, +5)
5. 2020 TPC Harding Park: T33 (70-69-71-68, -2)
6. 2019 Bethpage Black Course: T8 (72-71-69-69, +1)

Edited by Aayush Kapoor