Rory McIlroy implored to make a huge change before 2024 Masters

Rory McIlroy should make an immediate change if he is to have any chance of winning next month's Masters. 

At least that is the view of English golfer Jamie Spence, who recently hopped on the Sky Sports Golf podcast to discuss the Northern Irishman. 

McIlroy, 34, had another disappointing week on the PGA Tour after an up-and-down performance at the Players Championship. 

The four-time major champion made an awful lot of birdies at TPC Sawgrass. The only problem was, he also dropped too way too many shots. 

In the end, McIlroy had to settle for a T-19 finish in a result that has summed up his 2024 season so far.

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Spence told the podcast: "He's not with it at the moment. He is an up-and-down type player but his up and downs...

"I've just looked at his last five results - his best finish is tied 19th. That's not Rory.

"Because he won in the [Dubai Desert Classic], he then finished 66th at Pebble Beach, 24th at the Genesis, 21st at Cognizant.

"He said himself in the interview that, 'It's not like I'm playing terrible and missing cuts'.

"But there was no power in his voice, there was no conviction in what he was saying, for me.

"He knows he's not on his game and he knows he's got some gremlins going on in his golf swing at the moment."

McIlroy's iron play has come under heavy criticism this year. In the past, that part of his game has been one of his biggest strengths. 

Before the Players, McIlroy told reporters he has an 'amazing feeling' standing over his woods. 

"But when I try to recreate that feeling with the irons, it starts left and goes further left," he said.

"I love this feeling of firing my right arm down the target line.

"And I can do that with my woods really well, but then when I try to do that with my irons, the club face closes over and goes left."

Spence implored McIlroy to make a change before its too late. 

"I'm not his coach, he's been with the same team, they've been making the same mistakes," he said. 

"It's a sign of madness isn't it, expecting a different result from the same actions.

"You've got to change something, he's got to change something.

"He's such a good player but even within his streakiness, he can finish fifth, 10th, and keep those results going along. He can still do that.

"But he's always been up and down and you just wait for Rory to get back on the surfboard and back on the wave.

"When he does that, he's near unbeatable. So I don't worry about Rory."

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He continued: "There's no pattern to it. There's no 'Oh I can see Rory winning from down the road'.

"It doesn't work like that with him. All of a sudden he's not on it, then he's on it. So for me, it's a switch with him."

McIlroy will play in one PGA Tour event before he heads to Augusta National. 

He will tee it up at the Valero Texas Open over 4-7 April before making the trip to Georgia. 

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