Rory McIlroy critics sent clear message as 2024 labelled 'unbelievable' despite major woes
Rory McIlroy critics sent clear message as 2024 labelled 'unbelievable' despite major woes
Share:
Padraig Harrington has risen to the defence of Rory McIlroy after describing the four-time major champion's 2024 season as 'unbelievable'. World No. 3 McIlroy won four times in 2024 across both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. His first came in January, after winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic for a record fourth time, before he added two victories Stateside at the Wells Fargo Championship and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Shane Lowry.
He then signed off his campaign in style, clinching the DP World Tour Championship and the Race to Dubai crown, the sixth time he has secured the Wentworth-based circuit's Order of Merit title. Often held to a high standard though, McIlroy's season has been marked down by some due to once again missing out on the major stage. The 35-year-old has not won a flagship event since the PGA Championship in 2014, but came as close as he ever has to ending that wait at the US Open in June.
Leading the event by two shots with four holes to play, McIlroy made three bogeys down the stretch, allowing Bryson DeChambeau to swoop in and clinch the title. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the 2011 champion, and somewhat overshadowed his successes elsewhere throughout the year.
Harrington however believes McIlroy's year was one to remember. "Unbelievable,” the former Ryder Cup captain said of the 35-year-old's 2024 to the Belfast Telegraph. “He’s driving it great. He seems very comfortable with that. He chips it, unbelievable. His putting is the best it’s been. He’s putted great the last three, four years.”.
