The words ‘I can do better’ may sound self-deprecating from Rory McIlroy – but without a major championship in four years, that’s just what the Irishman is saying.
At 29 years old, to have won three major championships seems almost too good to be true. Add in 14 PGA Tour wins and 13 European Tour wins, plus a trio of Ryder Cup victories, you’d forgive McIlroy for feeling good about himself.
However, that doesn’t seem to be in his DNA.
A mixed season to this point for McIlroy has seen victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, contrasted by a final round collapse at the Masters.
Speaking to CNN, McIlroy revealed nerves got the better of him in Augusta:
I went out on the final day obviously giving myself a chance of playing carefree, trying to freewheel and that’s easier said than done,
I got onto that first tee and I was quite nervous.
Finishing top of the pile on that Sunday would have made McIlroy the sixth golfer of all time to win all four of golf’s majors.
Despite coming up short in 2018, McIlroy is confident of completing the Grand Slam:
It’ll happen,
I truly believe it’ll happen, I play that golf course well enough, I have five top 10’s in a row,
I’ve given myself a chance, it didn’t quite work out but the more I keep putting myself in those positions, sooner or later it’s going to happen for me.
In such great form, McIlroy will look ahead to the remaining majors this year as opportunities to remind the golfing elite of what he’s capable of on the biggest stage.
