Former Rory McIlroy ally pinpoints 'problem' after miserable Open: "He knows exactly what he does"

Rory McIlroy's former coach Peter Cowen has claimed the Northern Irishman has 'always had the same fault' as he reflected on his miserable Open performance. 

Cowen made the comments in an interview with bunkered's Ben Parsons. 

The golf instructor worked with McIlroy for an eight-month stint in 2021 before the Ulsterman decided to go back to his childhood coach Michael Bannon. 

It wouldn't be unreasonable to suggest that when Cowen started working with McIlroy the golfer wasn't feeling particularly confident with his game. 

Whilst he was with Cowen he was part of a European team that sustained a heavy Ryder Cup defeat at Whistling Straits and it was clear he felt his swing had deserted him. 

McIlroy burst into tears on TV in Wisconsin and lamented the fact he had not played better. 

And shortly after McIlroy claimed his 20th PGA Tour win, he decided to ditch Cowen. 

He has not been able to add to his tally of four majors in 2024. 

A T-22 finish at The Masters was followed by a T-12 at the PGA Championship and a dramatic runner-up finish at the 2024 U.S. Open to Bryson DeChambeau. 

It's fair to say he saved the worst until last, though. 

McIlroy shot 78-75 at Royal Troon to miss the cut at The Open by a country mile. 

So what to make of it?

Cowen told bunkered: "He did get the worst part of the draw but you did think he'd have been able to manage his game around there. If you hit some wild shots around there, you’re going to get penalised badly.

"The longer the time span is between majors, the harder it gets. It's like winning again, you've got to start again almost, reset. That’s the problem with him. 

"They put so much pressure on him winning The Masters and the grand slam.

"That's almost all he's thinking about between now and next April which is sad really because the other tournaments deserve the great players to keep playing."

Cowen reckons McIlroy shouldn't be too despondent about what transpired at Pinehurst No.2. 

He put his short miss at the 16th hole down to a 'mental aberration' and believes that he played the best golf on the final day. 

The best golf doesn't always win, he said. 

"He knows he's had the same problem"

Cowen reckons McIlroy has always had the same fault. 

Which is good and bad, he said. 

"He drops (the club) under a bit and starts flipping it a bit and doesn't get under any pressure on it so struggles with the ball flight," he said.  

"But he knows he's had the same problem for a long time. He does address it and sometimes when he's addressed it he plays great and wins.

"These guys are so good so most of it is down to the mental side of the game. Expectations come into it. Course setup comes into it for certain players because when the course is set up for certain players, it doesn't suit other players.

"Everybody says Augusta suits him because he hits a draw but Nicklaus won six times there and he's a fader."

Cowen also stressed the criticism of McIlroy's caddie Harry Diamond is unwarranted. 

The responsibility always lies with the player, he said. 

So would he back McIlroy to finally end his drought?

"If I had to put money on it, I'd say yes, but golf's a funny game," he said. 

"You get a good break and all of a sudden you could win two or three in a row like Xander, but it gets harder. He wins big tournaments in any case.

"It's a smaller stage. As the stage gets higher, the more difficult and the more stage fright you get. 

"You've got to look at it and say when the stage gets that high, like on a major because that's the highest stage he can hit, sometimes you get a bit of stage fright. Everybody does.

"Some players can put the blinkers on all the way round for five hours but a lot of people can't put the blinkers on. 

"You've got to win again, you've got to restart."

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