From Grand Slam Glory to a Cold Streak, What’s Going on with Rory? Rory McIlroy finally checked off the career Grand Slam with his Masters win earlier this year, and it looked like he was ready to take over the season. But since then, he just hasn’t looked the same. He was a fan favorite heading into the U.S. Open, but he only managed a tie for 19th. At the US Open, he finished 19th. His reason for average finishes? He was unable to find the motivation. He came close at the Travelers Championship with a T6 finish, but that’s still not what you’d expect from someone who was in spectacular form at the season’s start. McIlroy’s recent form hasn’t gone unnoticed by golf insiders, and rightfully so.

“I have many thoughts about Rory; it’s been fascinating to watch this existential crisis he’s been going through since the Masters,” said Alan Shipnuck on the Indo Sport podcast. Since that emotional win at Augusta, things have gone downhill. For someone who just completed a career Grand Slam, the slump has been both surprising and tough to ignore. And Shipnuck could not help but compare him with elite veteran golfers such as Lefty.

Though he has never won a career grand slam, the only tournament on the way is the US Open for Phil Mickelson, but he has never experienced a career slump after winning a major. Well, it was quite the opposite. “Phil, when Phil won the Masters in 2004 to break through after, you know, a dozen years of being the best player without a major.” When Phil Mickelson finally got his first major, the pressure was off, but instead of easing up, he raised his game after the Masters and won the BellSouth Classic.

“That was as cathartic a win as Rory’s was.” Both Rory and Phil went through years of close calls before finally locking down the majors they wanted most. “And Phil just kept going… He had his best year that year and came back to win more majors.” That’s why Rory’s dip in form has caught many off guard. Instead of building off the Masters win, he’s looked out of rhythm. “You don’t have to have a huge letdown,” suggesting that momentum was Rory’s to lose. Right now, it seems he’s still trying to find it again. And Shipnuck didn’t just question Rory McIlroy’s form.

He questioned the version of Rory that the golf world has come to admire over the last two decades. “Is this the real Rory? And for 18 years, it’s been this incredible facade… We thought that was the real Rory, but was that all pretend?” he said. It’s a bold take, but one rooted in Rory’s recent struggles. He is #2, after all. Is the attention he gets even deserved? “He just doesn’t look like he’s that into it, and then you really have to question what this last act of his career is going to look like,” said Shipnuck.

For a player still in his prime, the idea that he might already be easing into a “final act” is both surprising and concerning. But what exactly is the problem? What’s standing between him and his next win?

Is Rory McIlroy’s driver standing in the way of his next win?

McIlroy’s driver issues lately are starting to feel like more than just a minor tweak. He’s long been one of the best drivers in golf, but when that club isn’t working, his whole game seems to lose its edge.

One of the biggest recent setbacks came at the 2025 PGA Championship, where his go-to driver got flagged during a pre-tournament check for being non-conforming. That forced him into a last-minute switch, not exactly ideal at a major. The result? A flat performance!

He also went to a shorter 44-inch TaylorMade Qi35 driver to regain control and accuracy amid the Canadian US Open, but still missed the cut. That scramble wasn’t anything new for Rory. He’s been down this road before.

In 2022, Rory McIlroy was messing around with his driver setup, testing out different shafts and lofts to fix some shaky tee shots. He was trying to find more control without giving up that trademark distance, especially with the power game taking over. But all the tweaking threw off his rhythm. Instead of locking in, he spent most of the season chasing the right feel.

With the Open Championship just a few weeks away, the spotlight turns to Rory once again. Can he shut down the critics and grab a second major this year?