Rory McIlroy given warning as Nick Faldo delivers grim verdict on Masters winner | Golf | Sport

Golf legend Sir Nick Faldo has cast doubt over Rory McIlroy‘s prospects of securing another major following his spectacular Masters triumph in April. The man from Northern Ireland finally claimed the coveted green jacket at his 17th attempt, defeating Justin Rose in a dramatic playoff at Augusta National. A three-foot putt sealed his career Grand Slam, bringing to an end more than a decade of determined effort.

McIlroy’s success came after previous wins at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Players Championship, signalling a strong start to 2025. Yet his form wavered as he struggled at both the PGA Championship and US Open. He concluded the major season with a T7 placing at The Open Championship in July. Whilst this represented progress from his latest outings, McIlroy appeared far removed from the elite standard of golf that secured his Masters crown.

Looking ahead to 2026, he will undoubtedly target additional major championships, but Faldo harbours reservations about his likelihood of success in forthcoming events after conquering what he termed his “Mount Everest”.

Faldo told the Belfast Telegraph: “Rory has done something absolutely phenomenal. After he won his first four, people came to me saying: ‘Is he going to win a dozen?’.

“But I said, and I was right, that he’s either going to be disappointed that he’s won 10 or he is going to be ecstatic that he’s got to five. And it is like climbing Everest, you don’t turn around and say: ‘Let’s go up again next month’.

“There was so much emotion at Augusta and you cannot reproduce the emotion to win a major like that again, so I think it will be tough for Rory to win another one.”

Despite underwhelming showings at the subsequent three majors and failing to secure a PGA Tour win since his Masters triumph, McIlroy still managed to claim victory at the Amgen Irish Open.

He also guided Team Europe to a memorable Ryder Cup success and captured the Race to Dubai crown.

Nevertheless, the 36-year-old has previously acknowledged that maintaining the drive to compete following such a monumental accomplishment has proven difficult.

Faldo, meanwhile, has backed Scottie Scheffler to maintain his remarkable form throughout 2026 as he pursues his own career Grand Slam with a US Open triumph.

The legendary Brit added: “Scottie’s in that lovely mindset and routine of going to every tournament thinking: ‘How do I find a way to win this?’.

“Whereas other guys are just trying to get to Sunday. Some guys are choking on Thursday but Scottie is choke-free at the moment, which is amazing.”