Will Rory McIlroy ever win a major championship again?

On the eve of the beginning of the PGA Championship the limelight is once again on Rory McIlroy, and the question begs whether the Northern Irishman will ever get to lift a major trophy again, 9 years after his last win at Valhalla.

With the competition on the PGA Tour heating up year-by-year, the chance for securing majors just becomes trickier as the standards raise. McIlroy has had glory days since that performance in Valhalla and was one of the favourites for the Masters before he failed to make the cut in the tricky conditions.

He appears confident to secure the grand slam and add to his major cabinet, but it appears he is struggling to keep up with the consistent standards set by the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm. You cannot win majors by not performing decently throughout the season as the rule of thumb.

Don’t get it twisted, Rory McIlroy is a legend of the game, as anyone who wins multiple majors cements themselves as an elite golfer, but Rory’s major drought must worry him – it only becomes increasingly difficult the more time goes. Psychologically, ending a drought is the most difficult feat after winning the first.

And Rory’s psychological mindset has not been the strongest, particularly under the pressure, and he has regularly second-guessed or made changes on his game which have failed. He could have won at St. Andrews last year if he simply performed better on Sunday. There are countless examples of this over the last decade or so.

His interviews leading into this weekend’s PGA Championship accentuate a more prepared, laser-focused Rory McIlroy though. The last year he fought intensely for the integrity of the PGA Tour and battled against LIV Golf, which he seems to be distancing questions on. While that fight will continue, directing focus to himself will do him good.

Augusta has continued to allude him, and it feels as if he has to just win a major to get that feeling coursing back into his veins. It is possible, but you have to play perfectly to beat the current competition.

Will this weekend be a chance for Rory McIlroy to return to glory? It is difficult to see that with his inconsistent game at the second, but when the four-time major winner turns on his ability, hits bombs down the fairway and the putter gets hot, it is hard to bet against him.