"I’ve had a little bit of a lull" – Rory McIlroy says he’s nearly back to Masters form after recent dip

Rory McIlroy believes that his golf game is trending in a good direction as he eyes finishing off the 2025 season strong. He spoke out about his motivation issues at this week's Genesis Scottish Open.

Following Rory McIlroy's incredible victory at the 2025 Masters Tournament, he struggled to put up good performances. The Northern Irishman described the phase as a "lull."

Now tied for the lead at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open with one round left to go, the Ryder Cup sensation shared that his motivation at the moment is high and he's enjoying playing golf.

Here's what Rory McIlroy had to say during a press conference after his third round at the Renaissance Club (via ASAP Sports):

"I think I'm pretty close to being back to the level I was at going into the Masters. I think I've had a little bit of a lull, which I feel is understandable. So I'm just getting back to the level that I know that I can play at."

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The TGL co-founder was experiencing a brief period of ups and downs. After creating history at the Masters Tournament by accomplishing a career Grand Slam, Rory McIlroy struggled to maintain momentum as he struggled with motivation issues.

During the 2025 PGA Championship, the father of one's driver was deemed to be non-conforming by the USGA. This affected McIlroy's performance momentarily.

He went on to tie for 47th place at the PGA Championship and also missed the cut at the following event. However, McIlroy seems to be back in shape with a top 20 finish at the US Open and a top 10 finish at the Travelers Championship.

How did Rory McIlroy play in the third round of the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open?

Rory McIlroy posted a stunning 4-under-par 66 round at the Renaissance Club on Saturday, July 12.

He started off the day fairly strong with a birdie in the first three holes. He held strong by posting a bunch of pars. However, a bogey on the par 4 7th hole saw McIlroy card in a bogey.

Unfazed by the minor setback, the PGA Tour sensation followed up the hole with a birdie on the par 4 8th hole. He totalled 1 under par 34 for the front nine.

Determined to make his way to the top of the leaderboard, McIlroy posted three birdies on the back nine to post a 3-under-par 32 score for the last leg of the day. Having totalled 4 under par 66 for the day, the 36-year-old bossed 5 spots up the leaderboard to tie for the lead with Chris Gotterup.

About the author

Lathika is one of the newer additions to Sportskeeda’s budding golf journalism team and has brought plenty of in-game experience to the role. Having been a golfer for over 12 years now, some of her crowning achievements include winning titles on the Indian Golf Union Ladies tour and Junior Girls Amateur tour.

She currently competes in Division 1 golf in New York, and hopes to play in the U.S. Open and Chevron Championship one day. She is set to cover the 2025 Ryder Cup as well. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration and Management, and holds a Sports Marketing certification from Northwestern University, which helped her learn to draft press releases and ultimately transition into journalism.

Lathika has thus developed a knowledge base that allows her to view golf from both player, spectator and media lenses, enabling her to bring statistics, insights and an understanding of fan emotion together in her copies. She only uses verified information from reliable sources like the PGA TOUR.

Her favorite golfers are Nelly Korda and Tiger Woods, both for their playing style as well as their mental strength. Much of her time away from work is spent playing golf, but she also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and learning new hobbies or upskilling.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua