Rory McIlroy has confessed that he hasn’t been as much of a “risk taker” on the golf course in recent years, amid his decade-long wait for another major championship victory.
The Northern Irish superstar last tasted success in a major with his 2014 PGA Championship win at Valhalla, marking his fourth major triumph. His other victories include the 2011 US Open, 2012 PGA Championship, and 2014 Open Championship, all achieved before he turned 25.
Only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods had secured four majors by that age, placing McIlroy among the ranks of golfing legends. However, the former world No. 1’s drought in major championships since then is well-known, with the star narrowly missing out on ending this dry spell earlier this year at the U.S. Open.
He held a two-stroke lead with just four holes remaining at Pinehurst Resort but faltered, bogeying three of the final four holes. This slip-up gave Bryson DeChambeau a chance to gain ground in the competition, and the American capitalized on this opportunity to clinch his second career victory at the championship.