Rory McIlroy's Former Agent Claims Golfer Is Too Busy Being A 'Mouthpiece' For The PGA Tour
Rory McIlroy's appearance at the Masters, his ninth attempt at winning the career grand slam, was a disaster. He wasn't close to making the cut and looked pitiful walking around Augusta National. While it's no secret that McIlroy faces tremendous pressure each time he tees it up at Augusta, his former agent, Chubby Chandler, thinks there is more to the equation.
Like most others who witnessed McIlroy's poor performance at the 2023 Masters, Chandler doesn't believe it's too bold to say that McIlroy will never wear the green jacket.
“If you were a betting man you would probably bet against him winning. He has made winning the grand slam a bigger thing in his head than it actually is,” Chandler told i News..."It’s a massive mental block and it’s getting harder and harder. Every time he gets there he has the pressure from everyone else, but also from himself.”
The past two years in the world have golf have been incredibly unique with LIV Golf emerging onto the scene and poaching some of the top players in the world. McIlroy has carried the burden of being the unofficial spokesperson of the Tour given its newest threat, which in Chandler's opinion is only hurting his chances of winning.
“To me he has got carried away as mouthpiece of the PGA Tour. He is doing things he shouldn’t be doing and opening his mouth too often," Chandler said.
The former agent of Rory McIlroy, Chubby Chandler, isn't sold his former client will ever win the Masters. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Chubby Chandler Thinks Rory McIlroy Is Distracted
McIlroy's interview he took part in during one of his rounds at the Masters specifically stood out to Chandler as something his former client should probably avoid doing. He went as far as to mention other greats in the game wouldn't dare do an in-round interview like McIlroy did.
"The interview on the fairway , absolutely brilliant TV but not good for Rory McIlroy. You can’t be having a chat with a guy in the commentary box about the day and the way he is playing, or whatever, then get over a wedge and give it 100 percent," Chandler said.
"You would never have got Nicklaus doing it. You would never have got Tiger doing it."
All McIlroy has left to accomplish in his career is winning the Masters, whether or not he checks that box to complete the career grand slam remains to be seen, but it's clear Chandler thinks the odds are only getting longer.
At the end of the day, McIlroy has had one of the greatest careers in the sport's history with four major championships and three FedEx Cups to his name. While that may be the case, if he doesn't have a green jacket in his closet by the time he decides to put the clubs away, many will remember him as the player who never quite got the job done.
Follow Mark Harris on Twitter @ItIsMarkHarris