Former World No 1 Lee Westwood has comforting words for Rory McIlroy after latest major miss
- Michael Schmitt
- 25 July 2023
Many are questioning whether the Northern Irishman will ever win another major, but Westwood has a different opinion.
Lee Westwood has acknowledged Rory McIlroy's long-running major drought but still feels the Northern Irishman has no cause for concern.
McIlroy entered last week's Open Championship fresh from a victory in Scotland the week before, but as has become all too customary, his form once again deserted him in a major championship.
Since winning his fourth major in the 2014 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, the 34-year-old has now gone nine straight years without winning a fifth.
Perhaps even more frustratingly, he continues to get very close with regularity, boasting seven top-10 finishes in his last eight majors.
Still, victory continues to elude him.
But writing for the Daily Telegraph, Westwood had some encouraging words for the long-suffering McIlroy, as he pointed to his own career as an example of how many players only peak in their late 30s.
"Rory will now go into a 10th season without having won a major, but to my mind he has not peaked yet and fared ridiculously well to win four majors before he was 25. I did not play my best golf until I was in my late 30s," Westwood wrote.
"I got to World No 1 and yes, I was given pelters from the US for somehow not being worthy of the moniker - and I believe Rory will be the same."
McIlroy has also now gone nine years with achieving the one title he needs to complete the coveted career Grand Slam - the Masters at Augusta.
But Westwood says he has a "feeling" the Northern Irishman won't have to wait much longer.
"He is so consistent and should carry on what he is doing. I honestly have a feeling that he will win the Masters in April and I'm not sure I've felt that way before.
"Rory just seems on that path and one day, it will all click and he will walk away with another major - Harman style."
