Paul McGinley backs ‘resilient’ Masters champion Rory McIlroy to win more majors
Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has backed a “resilient” Rory McIlroy to win more major titles following his dramatic Masters triumph.
McIlroy threatened to throw away a five-shot lead during a roller-coaster final round at Augusta National before making a birdie on the first extra hole to beat Justin Rose in a sudden-death play-off.
The nerve-wracking victory means McIlroy is just the sixth player to have won all four men’s major championships and five in total, but McGinley does not think the world number two will want to rest on his laurels.
“I think it’s a different Rory. I think it’s an evolution of Rory,” McGinley said on Golf Channel.
“There is mental resilience there that might not have been there. He’s got strategies, he digs deep, and he can win when he’s not right on it. He’s on a path to maybe win more.
“Now that he’s climbed Everest, does he lose a little bit? When you reach something you’ve desired so much, you kind of soften, but I don’t think so. I think he’s going to keep going.
“I’ve said if he’ll win one major, he’ll win three or four. I don’t think he’s done winning majors this year. He’s got some great chances to add to it.”
McIlroy has already won four PGA Tour titles at Quail Hollow, venue for next month’s US PGA Championship, while this year’s Open Championship is on home soil at Royal Portrush, where McIlroy set the course record of 61 as a 16-year-old amateur.
He missed the cut when the US Open was last held at this year’s venue of Oakmont in 2016, but has recorded six straight top 10s in the event and was second in both 2023 and 2024.