When 25-year-old McIlroy claimed the fourth main of his profession – on the 2014 US PGA Championship – it felt inevitable he would shortly full the gathering on the Masters.
Again-to-back majors on the Open Championship and US PGA – having beforehand received the 2011 US Open and 2012 PGA – signalled his dominance.
A Inexperienced Jacket may have already been within the wardrobe, too, however he blew a four-shot lead on a haunting closing day in 2011.
It sparked an extended barren streak in any respect 4 majors, with McIlroy’s coronary heart crushed most lately at Pinehurst final June.
The world quantity two had charged up the US Open leaderboard to maneuver two pictures away from in a single day chief DeChambeau.
Then, as McIlroy later admitted, he misplaced focus.
Bogeys on three of his final 4 holes allowed DeChambeau to grab a dramatic victory.
It was a loss which minimize deep. McIlroy fled Pinehurst swiftly, avoiding the media and laying low till the Scottish Open a month later.
“Some individuals have an expertise like that and determine they do not wish to get there once more, it hurts an excessive amount of,” stated Rotella.
“He stated he needed to win majors and will deal with shedding.”
Whereas he missed the minimize on the blustery Open Championship which adopted, the bounce again in 2025 has been spectacular.
A dominant closing spherical from McIlroy led to a two-shot victory at Pebble Seashore in February, earlier than he mentally reset to win final month’s The Gamers Championship at Sawgrass in a play-off showdown on the Monday.
And so to Augusta Nationwide. The guttural emotion following Sunday’s successful putt was McIlroy shedding the load of burden which had laid heavy.
“Each time you get your coronary heart damaged you must bounce again and it makes for a greater story – however you must have the heart to maintain going after it,” Rotella added.
“Rather a lot quit on themselves. I love the heck out of him as a result of he did not.”
