Two Majors in 2023 would be par for McIlroy, says Davies

John Craven
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Rory McIlroy (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for The Match)

John Craven

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Dame Laura Davies has set a lofty bar for Rory McIlroy to reach this season, believing a two-major haul would be par for the course given the Holywood star’s talent and form.

McIlroy picked up his fourth title in eight starts with victory at the Dubai Desert Classic on Monday, overcoming long-time rival Patrick Reed by a single stroke with a birdie at the 72nd hole in a thrilling finish.

Fuelled by LIV’s attempts to disrupt the game, McIlroy has seemingly found an extra gear and many predict this year could be the one in which he finally ends a Major drought dating back to 2014.

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Fans of McIlroy would gladly accept the world number one adding the one Major title to his current collection of four this term but Davis has grander plans for the 33-year old whose Major season begins at the Masters in April.

“Rory said in an interview that everyone seems to decide how good a year he has had by how many majors he wins,” Davies told Sky Sports.

“He could have won all four last year but it didn’t quite happen. If he wins two this year, I think that would be par. I think he is good enough to do that. If he wins more than that, it will be sensational.

“It is hard to win majors, we all know that, but this guy is good enough to do at least two.”

The only man who comes close to McIlroy’s numbers in recent months in Spain’s Jon Rahm who has Major scores to settle himself having failed to contend at any of the big four last year.

In fact, the duo have been pretty much inseparable in their level of play, with McIlroy’s four wins and eight top-10’s in his last eight starts combining for an average finish of 3.1 and a scoring average of 67.5.

Rahm also boasts four wins and eight top-10’s in his last eight starts combining for an average finish of 3.1, but his record shows an improved scoring average of 67.3, highlighting the fact that regardless of McIlroy’s form, there’s always someone waiting in the wings to usurp you on any given week, especially at a Major.

That’s not to say Rory won’t come good twice in 2023, but you’d wager the man himself would gladly rid that monkey from his back even if it meant just one Major championship having come so close at The Open in 2022.

McIlroy returns to action next week at the $20m Waste Management Phoenix Open.

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