Golf legend questions ‘terrible’ Rory McIlroy mistake

Rory McIlroy called himself golf’s “Nearly Man” after missing out on an Olympic medal and, rather painfully, is still living up to that moniker.

McIlroy was denied in agonising fashion in both the Irish Open and last week’s BMW PGA Championship. He was beaten by just one golfer in regulation play across those two events yet still didn’t take take home any silverware.

Rasmus Hojgaard snatched a national title from his grasp at Royal County Down and McIlroy was edged out by a Billy Horschel eagle in a second play-off hole at Wentworth just seven days later.

These latest gut-wrenching moments, of course, followed what was the most painful near miss of all: McIlroy’s heartache at the US Open. Speaking to MyGolfSpy’s Alan Shipnuck, Ernie Els argued that McIlroy’s defeat to Bryson DeChambeau in June will have a lasting impact.

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“It’s not going to get easier, that’s for sure,” Els told Shipnuck. “Pinehurst, that is going to sting for a long time. Mentally, we’re going to have to see. When that little bit of doubt creeps in, it’s hard to get it out. I’ve been there many times. You beat yourself up.”

Els pinpointed three moments of the back-nine where it all went wrong for McIlroy in the sandhills of North Carolina. His overhit tee shot on the par-3 15th, his aggressive play down 18 and the pitch that left the nasty downhill three-footer for par.

“He hit the wrong club at 15,” Els said. “Driver was the wrong play on 18. He could have hit a 2-iron off the tee. And then to hit his pitch too hard and be above the hole, that was a terrible leave.”

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Els, also a four-time major champion and former world No.1, has experienced similar highs and lows to McIlroy in the furnace of the ‘Big Four’ events. Few are better placed to comment on his fallow period. But the South African legend still feels McIlroy’s lack of control with his approaches is costing him in the defining moments.

“He has to hit softer cut shots with his short irons,” Els added. “I’m sure I’ve said that to him. Get absolute control. There’s a reason Tiger played his best with a little soft cut. When you have that much power, you need to get control of the ball with a little cut spin.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.