Iron play the root cause of Rory McIlroy’s 10-year Major drought, says David Leadbetter
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Renowned golf coach David Leadbetter says there is something in Rory McIlroy's technique which doesn’t allow him to be as precise in his iron play.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
SINGAPORE – Four-time Major champion Rory McIlroy is unquestionably among the best golfers in the world, so his 10-year drought for a Major title is something that is mind-boggling to many of the sport’s fans and observers.
That includes renowned swing coach David Leadbetter, who suggested that the world No. 3 sharpen up his iron play.
After collecting four Majors from 2011 to 2014, McIlroy has been unable to win a fifth, although the Northern Irishman did claim 17 titles from 2015 to 2024.
In June, he had looked set to finally taste Major success again at the US Open as he led by two shots with five holes to go at Pinehurst, but bogeyed three of the last four holes before finishing a shot behind Bryson DeChambeau.
While the 35-year-old has been labelled a “choker” after that late collapse, Leadbetter believes that his iron play is the root cause.
Asked what he thinks would help McIlroy win his next Major, Leadbetter told The Straits Times: “Personally, I think it’s technical. If you break the game down, he’s a great driver, actually a pretty good putter... he has a great short game.
“If you look at the statistics, it’s there to see that his iron play lets him down. There’s something in his technique which doesn’t allow him to be as precise or accurate with his iron play.
“Under pressure, his iron play is the thing that lets him down and that’s what the statistics bear out.”
Leadbetter, 72, was speaking on the sidelines of a closed-door golf clinic organised by Standard Chartered Bank for 50 of its clients at The Par Club at Marina Square on Oct 25.
The veteran British instructor has worked with some of the world’s best golfers, including Nick Faldo, Nick Price, Michelle Wie and Lydia Ko.
Since launching the first Leadbetter Golf Academy over 30 years ago, he has coached players to more than 20 Major titles, with several of them ranked world No. 1 at some point.
On McIlroy, he added: “It’s very surprising when you look at his talent, why he hasn’t won more Majors, because that is what a career is measured by – winning Majors.
“His last win was when he was 25. He’s now 35 so the clock is ticking. The longer it goes on, the tougher it is.”
That could play on his mind.
Leadbetter added that under pressure, McIlroy seems to make bogeys, adding: “Once again, it’s a confidence factor. If you don’t quite believe and trust in yourself under extreme pressure, it’s borne out in the way he has had so many close finishes.”
David Leadbetter (left) conducting a closed-door golf clinic organised by Standard Chartered Bank at Marina Square on Oct 25.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
While McIlroy stays in the hunt for his next Major, one of Leadbetter’s former students Lydia Ko, 27, ended an eight-year wait for her third Major in August when she lifted the Women’s British Open trophy.
Ko, who had worked with Leadbetter from November 2013 to December 2016, has been in fine form this season, emerging victorious thrice on the LPGA Tour and clinching gold at the Olympics
Despite the former world No. 1’s resurgence, Leadbetter feels she set the bar so high early in her career that it will be hard to surpass.
In her first three seasons on the LPGA Tour, the New Zealander missed just one cut in 74 events and won 12 titles, including two Majors.
Leadbetter said: “She’s a great girl, I’m very happy for her and that she’s come back.
“Having said that, she’s always talked about retiring at 30 and that’s going to be in a couple of years’ time, but there’s no way that she can play to the standard she can play in those first three years.
“Her achievements in the first three years surpassed Tiger Woods’ as far as her win percentages, Major wins, so on and so forth – it was just phenomenal.”
