Rory McIlroy is showing off yet another golf trophy. But will the next one be a Major?
Droughts are always interesting talking points in sports. At times, they can become ingrained in a team or city’s personality. Consider the Boston Red Sox, where the Curse of the Bambino (a decades-long World Series drought) became part of the city’s personality for many years before it ended in 2004.
Droughts can, of course, impact individual athletes, too. We can cite golfers like Colin Montgomerie, who wore the tag of “best player never to win a Major” for most of his career. Sergio Garcia took up that unwanted mantle before finally winning the 2017 Masters.
But with so many teams and athletes having never won the ultimate accolades in their respective sports, how do we contextualize Rory McIlroy’s now-famous drought in golf’s Majors? It is a bit of an outlier in sporting terms and arguably acts to underserve just how victorious McIlroy has been.
McIlroy has had a stellar career
Regardless, here are the facts of the case: McIlroy has won four Majors in his career: He’s won the US Open (2011), the PGA Championship twice (2012, 2014), and The Open (2014). That record alone is something that the vast majority of players would envy. Most players go through their careers without winning one, never mind four.
The “Drought” comes from his not winning one since. In those 11 years, McIlroy has spent a lot of weeks as the world number one (currently ranked 2nd), and he has been perceived as the world’s best player, winning multiple times on different tours. The drought has been so infamous because many fans believe that McIlroy should be in the upper echelons for Majors victories – perhaps with double figures.
The drought could undoubtedly end in 2025. McIlroy is second-favorite in the Masters betting odds going into the 2025 tournament. Over the last year, his form has made it such that he will have plenty of backers in the betting markets.
World number one Scottie Scheffler is the current favorite, but McIlroy is not far behind. And the Northern Irishman would be a popular winner – all golf fans want to see him end the drought.
So many close calls
What’s been remarkable is how close McIlroy has been to ending the drought. He has had thirty top-10 finishes in the Majors, including fifteen top-5 finishes. It is an incredible example of consistency over 15 years.
Much is made of McIlroy’s travails – he has, he admits himself, let victory slip at crucial moments down the years – has caused online trolls to accuse him of choking. That’s harsh, to say the least. Yes, he made mistakes in critical moments, but has also been unlucky. The player has arguably matured over recent years, and it feels sure that he is better equipped to handle the pressure.
Many golf fans ‘grew up’ when a fresh-faced, teenage McIlroy burst onto the scene. Many of us thought that he would be the one to inherit the mantle from his hero, Tiger Woods. To an extent, he has. McIlroy is the face of professional golf in many ways.
Yet, his fans – and many of them – would love to see that translate into more Majors. He is still among the best players in the world, so it should happen sooner rather than later, perhaps as soon as the coming weekend at Augusta National.
