Rory McIlroy once matched Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus‘s achievements by winning 4 majors at 25. Well, that was the ideal start of his career, but it did not continue as expected. The Northern Irishman won the U.S. Open in 2011, the PGA Championship in 2012, 2014, and the Open Championship in 2014. After his 4 wins, he went on a long drought of major victories. Until today, the 35-year-old has failed to extend his wins, which has raised concern for the golf world.

Recently, Jack Nicklaus has also pointed out a worry. The Golden Bear joined the panel of the 5 Clubs podcast, saying, “Still firmly believe that Rory will win the Masters; he’s just too good not to, You just gotta get him out of himself. You know that’s the problem.” With just a few days to the criticism and feedback, the golfer seems to have worked on it. The golfer has started the season on a high, as his debut at AT&T Pebble Beach saw his victory. Well, not long enough, as he recorded another at the PLAYERS Championship. Defeated, J.J. Spaun didn’t sound like that one bit. “I’m happy with the swing, it just wasn’t my time, I guess,” he said.

The Irishman has won the event twice now and has eliminated the speculations about his performance. Out of the five participations this season, he recorded two victories, one top-5 finish, and two top-20 finishes. Along with his performance, McIlroy has also expressed great positivity about his Masters appearance. After winning the PLAYERS, the golfer discussed his current form during the press conference.

He was asked, “Along those lines, how much work is required in maintaining or improving your mindset? And can you give us a sense of how you try to do that in the next three weeks?” This is the doubt for the majority of the golf world as the golfer has been in a drought for a longer duration than expected. But, with great hopes, he answered saying, “I think just double down on what I’m doing. Double down on the work that I’ve been doing at home. Double down on the conversations I’ve been having with Bob Rotella, all that sort of stuff. It’s just continuing to do the same things.” Rory McIlroy has been in constant conversation with Bob Rotella, a renowned sports psychologist.

Even in 2023, the golfer has shared that he has been working with the doctor before the Masters. Now, with his close finish from last year, he is positive to do double work to end his drought. Further he added, “I’m feeling really comfortable, as I said, with how I’m flighting my ball in the wind. I feel like I’m always trying to refine what I have. I’m certainly a proponent of if it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it.” McIlroy, with the criticism, has showcased the opposite side with his performance.

Apart from his finishes, his consistent performance delivers assurance. He has only 3 subpar round scores, the rest all were par or under par. The World No. 2 has worked on criticism with the results, but World No.1 is still struggling with his performance. But what sets him apart is his persistence for the Masters.

Scottie Scheffler about his preparation

After the ideal year, with 7 PGA Tour titles, Scheffler struggled with injury, which delayed his start at the 2025 schedule. Eventually, the break from the course led to broken momentum, which can be seen in his performance. Until now, with his five appearances on the PGA Tour schedule, he could only get one top 5 and one top 10 finish. Not just this, but what raised questions is his being victoryless after the tremendous 2024 performance.

With the worry of his performance, the golfer has shared how he enjoys his time. Global Golf Post shared his interview, where he said, “In a perfect world, the results would continue to be the way that they are and I could be No. 1 for the rest of my life, but life doesn’t always go that way so I’m going to enjoy it while I can, continue to prepare the way that I do, and approach each tournament in a way that when I think about success, I don’t think about being the best player in the world.” Despite injury struggles, the golfer defies expectations by focusing on showcasing his strong presence. With a positive approach, he seems poised to return to his winning ways.

Even at the Genesis Invitational, the fans got a glimpse of it as he was placed at T3. This is the only top 5 finish the golfer has achieved. But, interestingly, the golfer has been consistent, as he recorded only 2 subpar round scores. The glimpse of performance and his positive attitude could be the game changer with his participation at the Masters. Well, this is something that we will find out soon. But what, according to you, will be the result? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.