Rory McIlroy is set to be a vital cog for Team Europe as they look to upset Team USA at the Ryder Cup, but after completing a career grand slam in 2025, he has been told another ambition comes too late
Rory McIlroy has been told by Dame Laura Davies that it’s “too late” for him to match the major championship tally of the great Jack Nicklaus. The Northern Irishman will lead Team Europe against Team USA at the Ryder Cup this weekend after a momentous year.
McIlroy finally banished his demons at the Masters earlier this season, claiming the green jacket and completing a career grand slam. His next immediate goal will be to mount an upset with his European peers at Bethpage Black.
Winning more major titles is undoubtedly on his agenda, too. Still, iconic Solheim Cup-winning English golfer, Davies, thinks catching the legend who currently tops the leaderboard is insurmountable at McIlroy’s age. The 35-year-old currently has five major wins.
“I think initially, it was the goal to win all four majors,” began Davies, speaking courtesy of BetMGM. “His only next goal could be to try and catch Jack [Nicklaus].”
Nicklaus leads all professional golfers, past and present, with a staggering 18 majors. This total is three more than second-placed Tiger Woods, and currently 13 more than McIlroy.
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“I think, you know, at 35, it’s probably too late for Rory,” Davies continued. “But it [winning the Masters] will free him up. I feel it will free him up.
“I think it’s taken him a little while to understand what he wants next. Because that is the pinnacle of achievements, the career Grand Slam.
“He got irritated that – and I was guilty of it afterwards – people saying, ‘Oh, he’ll win the next three majors, he’ll do this and do that.’ Because you get carried away, because he’s such a likable chap, you want him to do all that.”
However, McIlroy’s immediate challenge is the Black Course at Bethpage State Park, and Davies thinks the Northern Irishman wants some revenge in enemy territory. In the last Ryder Cup McIlroy played stateside in 2021, Team Europe lost 19-9 at Whistling Straits, and the 35-year-old was emotional.
“We saw how much it hurt him at Whistling Straits,” added Davies. “And I think that was a moment when all the Europeans, all the world’s golfing galleries and TV watchers, realised how much this game and how much the Ryder Cup means to these guys.
“So the 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits will still be sharp in his memory. The Italy win [in 2023] is a great memory, and that’ll stay with you forever.
“But the ones that really hurt are the losses in individual tournaments. And he had torture with that, didn’t he, until he won Augusta. He had so many cracks at it.
“But yeah, Ryder Cups, they hurt when you lose. Not so much when it’s away from home, because it’s almost expected. But this would cap off 2025 for Rory, the year that he’ll never forget in his golfing life.”
Laura Davies was speaking on behalf of BetMGM. You could win over £30million today with BetMGM’s MGM Millions. BeGambleAware 18+
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