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Paul McGinley on Rory McIlroy: "He has to perform, he's paid to perform"

The Off the Ball team are based in Portstewart for the duration of the Irish Open as the European...



Paul McGinley on Rory McIlroy:...
Golf

Paul McGinley on Rory McIlroy: "He has to perform, he's paid to perform"

The Off the Ball team are based in Portstewart for the duration of the Irish Open as the European Tour's top players battle it out for a multi-millions Euro prize fund.

The tournament host and four-time major winner Rory McIlroy missed the cut after posting one-over for his opening two rounds.

Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley joined Friday's Off the Ball to discuss Rory McIlroy's current form and the difficulties he faces on a weekly basis after signing his new deal.

"When you don't play tournament golf - that's what gets you. And this is why I didn't fancy Rory going into the US Open. That's what you miss. Even a great player like Rory, having a scorecard in your hand is a very, very different situation to going out and playing with your friends and playing in a relaxed kind of environment. 

"That little bit of tension, you've got to be familiar with it and the more golf you play, the more familiar you get with it and run of tournaments is vitally important in that context," he said.

Rory McIlroy reacts after missing a putt on the 18th. Image: ©INPHO/Presseye/Peter Morrison

"I think his putting is a worry, there's no doubt about it. Rory is a very, very creative player and he plays in a very creative way, a great shot-maker and loves to move the ball both ways. 

!Golf, when it comes to putting is more of a structured business. I know he's working with Phil Kenyon now and initially he had a lot of success with Phil Kenyon and my worry would be it's become a little bit too mechanical and he has lost that creativeness, that spirit, that touch, that feel - that ability to be an artist. That's when Rory is at his best, it's not when he  has got his mind full of structure," he added.

McGinley went on to discuss the extra pressures McIlroy faces. "There's a huge amount of expectation on his shoulders now," he said, adding: "It's been very well documented about the size of contracts he has just signed...It also brings a lot of responsibility.

"And Rory's got a lot of responsibility on his shoulders at the moment. He has to perform, he's paid to perform. There's a lot of extra pressure on him that the other guys in the field don't have."

The full interview including input from Des Smyth and Brett Rumford can be heard here: 

Paul McGinley on Rory McIlroy: "He has to perform, he's paid to perform"

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