Insider Fears Rory McIlroy Is at Risk of Repeating Tiger Woods’s Mistakes After Grand Slam Win: ‘Gonna Get Interesting’

The 2025 season is shaping up to be Rory McIlroy’s season, and that’s a subject of concern. The Northern Irishman has so far won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and THE PLAYERS Championship, and recently added his first green jacket to his list of victories, completing the Career Grand Slam. The golfer seems to be doing better than the 2024 season, which was filled with heartbreak for him after missing the cut at the Open and the infamous collapse at the 2024 U.S. Open. So, what’s the problem then? Well, there is.

Speaking on the latest episode of Fore Play Podcast Plus on YouTube, Cal Clutterbuck shared his thoughts on Rory McIlroy’s PGA Tour future, drawing a concerning comparison to Tiger Woods’s 2019 run. “Yeah, I’m interested to see what happens because it could go either way,” Clutterbuck said, referencing McIlroy’s recent performances. He pondered whether McIlroy might be experiencing a “championship hangover” similar to Woods after his Masters win in 2019.

And the effects are already on full display. McIlroy, who had shared the 2024 Zurich Classic victory with Shane Lowry, finished outside the top 10, landing T12 at the 2025 edition of the event. Clutterbuck noted that Woods’ post-Masters run was expected to be a dominant one, but instead, he missed cuts and struggled. “I remember we were looking… This guy’s going to go on a tear, and then he like missed the cut at a couple of them, just wasn’t great,” Clutterbuck said. Woods started off the 2019 season on a strong note with a T7 finish at the Hero World Challenge, where he shot 287 (-1). However, after his Masters win in April 2019, where he shot 275 (-13) and claimed his fifth green jacket, his performance wasn’t as dominant as expected. In the subsequent tournaments, Woods missed cuts at the PGA Championship, shooting 72-73, and at The Open Championship, shooting 78-70.

He questioned whether McIlroy might follow a similar path, wondering if the effort required to perform at the highest level might be taking a toll on the golfer. The analysts discussed how golfers, unlike athletes in team sports, can maintain momentum and confidence between tournaments. “It’s interesting golf because they can… he’s got another one in a couple weeks,” Clutterbuck said. Ultimately, they agreed that McIlroy’s future is uncertain, with Clutterbuck concluding, “You know, he could play well, he could play horrible, but I think it’s gonna get interesting.”

February 2, 2025, Pebble Beach, Ca, USA: Rory McIlroy during the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am 2025 at Pebble Beach Golf Links on February 02, 2025 in Pebble Beach, California. Photo: Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE Pebble Beach USA – ZUMAi237 20250202_zsa_i237_203 Copyright: xFlanigan/Imagespacex

Well, to avoid exactly that, McIlroy is taking strict measures as he is prioritizing a “reset” following his dissapointing finish at the last tournament.

Rory McIlroy takes a break to ‘Reset’

Rory McIlroy’s post-Masters high was short-lived as he and partner Shane Lowry had a disappointing finish at the Zurich Classic, where they failed to defend their title, finishing six shots behind winners Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak. Now, McIlroy is taking a well-deserved break, opting out of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson to recharge before returning to action at the Truist Championship. According to McIlroy, “I’ve got to just take a little bit of time here. It’s nice to have a week off, and reset and try to get some practice in. I feel like it’s like two practice weeks coming up in a way, with next week at home and then Truist, as well, in some ways. Yeah, I’m looking forward to a couple of days off and then sort of kicking the feet up and trying to recharge the batteries a little bit.” And one PGA Tour pro agrees!

Xander Schauffele believes that this break might just make McIlroy an even more formidable opponent, stating, “He is a generational talent, and to do what he did is incredible for the game of golf. If that was something that was holding him back, and now he feels free, that could be a pretty scary thing.” The golfer believes McIlroy has the talent and skill to dominate the sport, noting that when McIlroy is at his best, he’s hard to beat and likely to win more majors. “He has all the tools, I think, when I look at his game and what he can do. I’ve played against him when he’s firing on all cylinders, and it’s not fun for me.” 

So, what do you think? Can McIlroy maintain his form? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

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