In 2017, Tiger Woods had just undergone his first spinal fusion surgery to address severe injuries. At that time, he hadn’t won a major since the 2008 U.S. Open, and while the surgery relieved the pain in his right leg, many questioned if he could regain his form. He did, ultimately winning his 15th major at the 2019 Masters. How did he achieve this? Ernie Els noted in an exclusive 2022 interview, saying, “He wasn’t there to mess around. He didn’t play too many events, but when he played, he was ready to go.” Woods maintained this energy all the while winning his 15 major titles and 82 pro wins, something that Rory McIlroy lacks.

Two months ago, Rory McIlroy won his first Masters title and became the sixth golfer to achieve a Grand Slam. Since then, he has struggled, with only one top-10 finish at the 2025 Truist Championship and a missed cut at the RBC Canadian Open. He also skipped three signature events this season, including the Memorial Tournament. These stats are concerning for a golfer of McIlroy’s caliber, and Johnny Miller, the 1973 U.S. Open winner at Oakmont, took a dig at him.

Currently present at Oakmont, the course that witnessed his beautiful closing 63 at the 1977 U.S. Open, Miller said, “He had a little letdown. I think he was sort of like, ‘Wow, I did it.’ It’s hard to regroup the way you were before. Tiger Woods didn’t have any trouble going after everything he could get, but not everybody can do that.” Miller is right about that. Ahead of the 2025 U.S. Open, McIlroy said of his Masters win, “… You have to enjoy that. You have to enjoy what you’ve just accomplished. I certainly feel like I’m still doing that and I will continue to do that.”

How did Tiger Woods work on the field? Let’s take an example. The GOAT clinched his first win since the 2013 WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational at the 2018 Tour Championship. He performed well and said after the Sunday round, “I still had work to do.” What does that say about him?

However, Miller isn’t the only one to reject comparisons between Woods and McIlroy. Michael Bamberger was more critical during a May interview on Dan on Golf, questioning the expectation that McIlroy will suddenly dominate and win multiple majors. He asked, “Why does everyone think he will suddenly go crazy and win all of these majors?” While he admires McIlroy, he pointed out that legends like Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Woods have consistently outperformed the field, whereas McIlroy is just one of many talented players.

Before heading to Oakmont for the 2025 U.S. Open, McIlroy missed the cut at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open, his first missed cut in a North American event in two years. After shooting 71 or higher in five consecutive rounds since the 2025 PGA Championship, his opening round of 74 at Oakmont was his highest first-round score in the U.S. Open since an 80 in 2018. He narrowly avoided missing the cut at the 2025 U.S. Open. Is it because of a lack of motivation? Rory McIlroy certainly thinks so.

Rory McIlroy admits he lacks “motivation” and Brandel Chamblee’s comments

The Northern Irishman recently admitted at the RBC Canadian Open that he needs to set new goals after his Masters victory. He experienced a “Masters hangover,” a common challenge for athletes following a significant achievement, especially given the dramatic nature of his win and the relief of lifting the career Grand Slam burden. However, McIlroy recognized the need to refocus after such a high, stating, “You have this event in your life that you’ve worked towards and it happens; sometimes it’s hard to find the motivation to get back on the horse and go again.”

Is it motivation or a lack of focus? Maybe it’s both, if you take into consideration Brandel Chamblee’s latest comments. In a recent interview on the Dan Patrick Show, Chamblee stated, “I don’t think Rory’s necessarily lost his form; he’s lost his focus.” He compared McIlroy’s situation to Ben Hogan, who, after winning the 1953 Open Championship and achieving a Grand Slam, only won once more in six years. Chamblee noted, “It’s a very small sample size thus far—just three or four tournaments for Rory—but I’ve never seen him play this poorly or look this disorganized. His performance at the Canadian Open was his worst ever.”

For instance, at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open, McIlroy shot a one-over-par 71 on Thursday but followed it with an eight-over-par 78 on Friday, losing 8.471 strokes to the field. His struggles stemmed mainly from his driving, as he hit only 46.43% of his fairways and lost an unusual 2.2 shots off the tee. So, what’s the cause behind Rory McIlroy’s poor performance?