‘To Say That McIlroy’s Season Was Not A Success Is Wide Of The Mark’

As the 2024 season comes to an end, it's safe to say that it's been a rather dramatic year, particularly for four-time Major winner, Rory McIlroy.

Producing four victories worldwide, as well as a number of close calls (we'll get to them), McIlroy's season wouldn't look out of place in terms of the career of most professionals. However, such is the quality the 35-year-old possesses, some are claiming that his 2024 was a flop, having gone an 11th straight year without a Major title.

There's no denying that the season will be remembered for his US Open collapse at Pinehurst, where the 35-year-old missed short putts on the 70th and 72nd hole to lose by one to Bryson DeChambeau.

However, McIlroy did go on to win a sixth European Tour Order of Merit title at the end of November, along with a number of big events like the Wells Fargo Championship and Dubai Desert Classic.

So, how would we rate McIlroy's 2024? Well, four of our writers have put pen to paper to discuss...

Nick Bonfield

McILROY SEASON RATING - 7/10

In my view, any season Rory McIlroy completes without winning a Major is capped at 7/10. It's been a good 2024 on the whole for the Northern Irishman, but will he be disappointed with it? Of course he will.

He's quite rightly defined by his success in the Majors – both internally and externally – given all he's achieved, and it's now 10 years since his victory in the PGA Championship, his last Major triumph. He doesn't need me to tell him that isn't good enough for a player of his calibre. Would it shock me if Rory never won another Major? No, it wouldn't. I fully expect him to, but I don't think it's a nailed-on guarantee anymore with all the scar tissue.

I thought losing out to Wyndham Clark in the 2023 US Open would take some getting over, but it was trumped by this year's event at Pinehurst, where he missed two three-footers over the last three holes. The putt on 18 was tricky, but his miss on 16 was inexcusable. However, he's now tied Seve Ballesteros on six Race to Dubai titles and he deserves credit for his commitment to the DP World Tour.

He won twice in Dubai, at either end of the year, reigned supreme with Shane Lowry at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and added his obligatory victory at Quail Hollow. That said, he lost out painfully at the Irish Open and BMW PGA Championship and he ends the year third on the Official World Golf Ranking, some way short of Scottie Scheffler, who's established himself as the dominant force in world golf.

Elliott Heath

McILROY SEASON RATING - 8/10

To say that McIlroy’s 2024 season was not a success is wide of the mark in my opinion. It won’t go down as one his greatest years, due to the lack of a Major victory, but any criticisms of his year show that he is judged completely differently to other golfers.

To begin with, he won the Dubai Desert Classic, Zurich Classic, Wells Fargo Championship and DP World Tour Championship. He also finished second at the Dubai Invitational, US Open, Irish Open and BMW PGA Championship. Including his sixth European Tour Order of Merit that's four wins, four runners-up finishes and a Race to Dubai - imagine if Tommy Fleetwood did that, or Jon Rahm or Ludvig Aberg or any other golfer. They’d be lauded for having had an incredible season.

Yes, the US Open was a very painful defeat and one that will be difficult to get over, but he should take lots of positives from Pinehurst for how well he played until, ultimately, the pressure got to him. Rory McIlroy has, for the most part, been superb this year and continues to show no signs of slowing down. I’d give him an 8/10.

Jonny Leighfield

McILROY SEASON RATING - 7/10

It's really difficult to disagree with the man himself on how his season played out. I don't think you can be graded an A unless you win at least one Major, and he obviously had his chance to do that. As a side note, I don't think it can be overstated how, with each passing Major, it has become, and will continue to be, harder and harder for McIlroy to get over the line simply because of the scar tissue that continues to be built up.

I wish him the very best for 2025 on that front and, Majors aside, McIlroy realistically couldn't have done much more. He won twice on both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour - with the final victory of the season also helping him to wrap up a sixth Harry Vardon Trophy. That achievement was in no small part down to his sheer elite-level consistency over 12 months of counting tournaments.

Some might say his four runner-up finishes were negatives, but while it is difficult to argue with the US Open result being a drawback, simply the fact that McIlroy continues to give himself a shot in so many events is just astounding. Whichever way you look at it, there is an extremely finite group of golfers anywhere in the world who have enjoyed a better season than Rory McIlroy. I for one can't wait to see him continue that form in 2025.

Matt Cradock

McILROY SEASON RATING - 7/10

Having read through my colleagues comments above, I'm not going to go through every accomplishment McIlroy has achieved during 2024 but, I am going to put my 2024 rating no higher than a 7/10.

Personally, I feel that when McIlroy is on form he is the best player in the world but the one aspect that is staring me in the face here is Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele's year. Scheffler has eight victories, including a Major, whilst Schauffele has two Major wins. Obviously this is rating McIlroy's season, but compared to the two Americans, it's not the best reading.

Don't get me wrong, McIlroy's year is still exceptional, with four wins coming in some big events. However, it's the fact he's four or five shots away from making it an eight win season and a near perfect 2024. It's impressive that McIlroy is able to get himself into a winning position almost every week, but until he gets the Major monkey off his back, I can't rate him more than a 7/10.