Actions speak louder than words and Chubby Chandler believes Rory McIlroy has been doing too much talking off the course and has lost his focus on it.
Chandler is a former agent to McIlroy and he has branded the Northern Irishman as a “mouthpiece of the PGA Tour” after he missed the cut at the Masters and subsequently pulled out of this week’s elevated RBC Heritage – a decision which cost him $3 million.
Chandler held McIlroy in his stable from 2007 to 2011 and he feels the four-time major winner has become far too distracted by his off course duties.
“If you were a betting man you would probably bet against him winning. He has made winning the grand slam [all four majors] a bigger thing in his head than it actually is,” Chandler told i.
“He is not really driven by number of wins or number of majors per se, but he seems to be driven by wanting to win the grand slam. It’s a massive mental block and it’s getting harder and harder. Every time he gets there he has the pressure from everyone else, but also from himself.
“To me he has got carried away as mouthpiece of the PGA Tour. He is doing things he shouldn’t be doing and opening his mouth too often. The interview on the fairway [at the Masters], absolutely brilliant TV but not good for Rory McIlroy. You can’t be having a chat with a guy in the commentary box about the day and the way he is playing, or whatever, then get over a wedge and give it 100 per cent. You would never have got [Jack] Nicklaus doing it. You would never have got Tiger [Woods] doing it.”
McIlroy has assumed the role as the spokesperson for the PGA Tour in the wake of the establishment of LIV Golf and he controversially gave a mid-round interview during the opening day of the Masters when he had already lost a significant amount of ground in his grand slam bid.
Chandler believes the 33-year-old has become too cluttered with off course engagements and has strayed away from his best carefree golf.
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