Golf analyst CONFIDENT Rory McIlroy will bounce back following dramatic collapse in opening round of 2025 Masters Tournament

Two late double bogeys in the first round of the Masters Tournament derailed Rory McIlroy's momentum and saw him slip from T2 to T26.

Golf analyst CONFIDENT Rory McIlroy will bounce back following dramatic collapse in opening round of 2025 Masters Tournament

Rory McIlroy (Image via Imago)

The 2025 Masters Tournament kicked off on Thursday as the major season got underway. World No.2 Rory McIlroy entered this event as one of the favorites to win it all. He started strong as well. However, he suffered a late dramatic collapse. Despite this setback, a golf analyst is confident that he will bounce back from this.

Through the first 14 holes, McIlroy was 4-under par for the event and seemed in cruise control. Given that he had already won twice this year on the PGA Tour, it seemed that this would finally be the year where he takes home the green jacket.

YouTube video

On the 15th hole, McIlroy tried to chip in his shot closer to the pin. However, he mishit that shot and his ball rolled all the way back into the water. He thus ended up with a double bogey on the par-5 15th hole. After making an even par on the 16th, he had trouble at the 17th as well.

The North Irishman failed to convert a par putt. His bogey putt then broke away from the hole, leading to him carding a double bogey here as well. With a par on the final hole, he went from 4-under to even par and finished the day T27.

Despite this, golf analyst Brandel Chamblee thinks that McIlroy can still make a comeback. While discussing this after the round, he explained what the golfer could think that he is 4 shots behind the leader, Justin Rose. While he got reminded that he was 4 shots behind Scottie Scheffler and not Rose, Chamblee still asserted that he had come back from 6 to 8 shots.

Somewhere Rory’s gonna get home tonight and go the leads 4 under and I’m 4 back. Rory’s come from 6 to 8 back before in one golf tournaments and one round… Rory is once in a generation golfer so I am not gonna sit back here and say he blew himself out of the golf tournament. He shot even par.

Brandel Chamblee said as per Sky Sports

These words from Chamblee come just a week after he dubbed the Augusta National as his nemesis and expressed how he always underperformed here. He though, did back him and expressed that if he could take care of his business, then he would win this event.

History not on side of Rory McIlroy as he aims to make massive comeback on Round 2

After an even par score in the first round, Rory McIlroy finds himself in a tough situation. He is currently 7 shots behind leader, Justin Rose. To win the tournament from here, he will need to mount a historic comeback. However, history is also not on the side of McIlroy.

Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy (Image via Imago)

As per golf insider Kyle Porter, 18 out of the previous 20 winners of this event have been those who were inside the top-10 rankings after the first round. The only exception is Tiger Woods, who won from outside the top-10 after the first round in 2005 and 2019.

The World No.2 recently even met with 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus. The veteran golfer expressed that he would not change a single thing regarding McIlroy’s approach and backed him to play as he usually does.

Rory McIlroy skipped the post-round interview after tough day at the Masters Tournament

Rory McIlroy’s collapse in the final stretches stole all the headlines on Thursday. The 4-time major champion, who is looking to complete the career grand slam by winning this event, decided not to attend the post-round interview.

Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy (Image via Imago)

This is not something uncommon for golfers. A few weeks ago, Collin Morikawa came under the spotlight for not speaking to the media after he lost the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Both McIlroy and Morikawa defended this action this week.

Now McIlroy is the one who did not address the media this time. Following his tough day, he reportedly declines to take part in media interviews.

This is not the first time McIlroy had declined media interviews. After another heartbreaking loss at the U.S. Open last year, he simply went to his car and drove away from the Pinehurst course instead of addressing his defeat.