Rory McIlroy called a “let down” by insider hours after winning Pebble Beach Pro-Am for one big reason

Rory McIlroy would probably consider his recent win a "let down," if Brendon de Jonge's recent comments are anything to go by. The former PGA Tour player-turned-media insider made the comments shortly after the 35-year-old won the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

McIlroy bagged his 27th PGA Tour title with his first victory at Pebble Beach Golf Links on February 2. He defeated Shane Lowry by two shots to move into first place on the leaderboard. Speaking on the Sirius XM podcast, de Jonge explained why Rory McIlroy might not be too excited about his win if he doesn't win a Major this year. He said (via SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio's X handle):

"This feels really weird saying, but I think that if Rory wins five times this year without a Major, he is still going to look at it as a little bit of a let down. And the only reason I say that is because of the only reason of where the Majors fall this year. It's the perfect Major rota for Rory McIlroy, you know? He's gone on Quail Hollow which has become his own little personal playground there. He has won four times. He's gonna be going on there as an overwhelming favorite...."

He added:

"He is going back to Ireland, they are back there at the Royal Portrush. The pressure is not gonna be the same as it was in 19. In 19, they had so much pressure. It's been so long since they were in Ireland. It's been six years.... again, he's gonna have the support of the home crowd. He's gonna be an overwhelming favorite of crowd favor there. Oakmont, a golf course you would think really really suit Rory McIlroy. You've gotta be a fantastic driver of golf ball at Oakmont. That is Rory’s M.O... He is a great driver of the golf ball."

De Jonge talked about all four Majors (the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, and the U.S. Open at Oakmont). However, according to him, Augusta National (The Masters) is "the perfect golf course for Rory McIlroy." He also praised the golfer for his skills and recalled his past performances at these courses to make his point.

How did Rory McIlroy perform at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am 2025 on Day 4?

The PGA Tour pro kicked off his 2025 PGA Tour season with a remarkable victory at Pebble Beach Golf Links. At the end of Round 3, McIlroy was tied for the second spot on the leaderboard with Lowry, both at 15 under par.

Rory McIlroy began the final round of the Pro-Am just one stroke behind Sepp Straka. As Rory and Lowry parred, Straka fell behind with a bogey on the opening hole. However, Lowry was unable to maintain his consistency and McIlroy carded four consecutive pars after the first. Despite a bogey on the eighth, McIlroy carded three birdies and an eagle on the back nine.

Standing on the 18th tee, Rory McIlroy already had a three-shot lead going into the final round. He chose to hit a five iron to the middle of the fairway on the 571-yard par-5 hole. According to the PGA Tour, the ball traveled at 189 miles per hour after McIlroy hit the shot. He finished the final round at 6-under and won the Pro-Am at 21-under.