Rory McIlroy Must Overcome Inconsistencies to Earn First Green Jacket

Rory McIlroy has taken down both the U.S Open and PGA Championship in his young career, but golf’s most prestigious major title still eludes him. If the 23-year-old hopes to silence the ghosts of his 2011 collapse at Augusta National and earn his first green jacket, he’ll have to overcome his own inconsistency.

The story has remained the same for McIlroy in his young career. At times he looks like the most skilled golfer on the planet, but lack of focus has led to mistakes that have prevented the world’s No. 2 golfer from creating much momentum heading into the Masters.

McIlroy’s biggest problems originate between his ears. While developing a bad physical habit can be easily fixed with a little practice, the mental mistakes won’t start to disappear until he regains his focus.

In an interview with James Corrigan of The Daily Telegraph, McIlroy opened up about his inconsistency and the attention it tends to elicit:

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Things seem to happen to me, things that tend to generate headlines. That’s not a bad thing. I don’t want to compare myself to anyone, but if you look at Phil Mickelson, that’s why so many people are drawn to him. He’s either way up or he’s down. Those highs and lows make him seem more real, less like a machine.

We always go on about consistency but I always stop and think: "What if I finished 10th every week?" I’d make a great living, be in all the great events – but it’d be pretty dull. I’d never get that feeling that I’ve beat everyone there is to beat that week, that incredible buzz. I know it doesn’t have to be a trade off, but all I’m saying is that if I have to take the down moments to experience those huge highs, then I’ll take them, sure.

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On one hand, McIlroy’s desire to break through the barriers of mediocrity and win on the biggest stage is exactly what everyone expects from the No. 2 golfer in the world. On the other hand, acknowledging that he can play more consistently and still win proves he has a long way to go before he can be considered a favorite in a tournament such as the Masters.

Each of McIlroy’s mental mistakes on the course are microcosms of the inconsistency that has plagued his season this year. The 23-year-old has posted just two top-25 finishes in his five tournaments, including a withdrawal from the Honda Classic during the middle of the first round of play.

Last weekend at the Texas Open, McIlroy turned in scores of 72, 67, 71 and 66 for a 12-under second-place finish. His rounds from Day 2 and Day 4 are certainly encouraging, but rounds in the 70s won’t be enough to crack the top of the leaderboard at Augusta.

The all-or-nothing approach to winning on the PGA Tour is oversimplified. Turning in two rounds in the mid-60s is impressive, but strong tournament runs (especially in majors) are all about consistency. Every golfer is different, but it’s hard to build momentum when every other round holds an ugly number that digs the hole just a little deeper.

Of course, the heartbreak of a final-round collapse at Augusta two years ago only adds to the discussion. Two years separate that infamous round from this weekend’s tournament, but the memory still has to lurk somewhere in his psyche.

McIlroy has the talent to do absolutely anything on the golf course, and nothing should be taken away from his accomplishments at this point in his career. Twenty-three is an age of growth and development, and McIlroy will get to where he needs to be.

Will it happen this weekend at Augusta? That question will be answered very soon. Let’s hope he answers more questions than he raises.