Rory McIlroy gives 3-word response to express displeasure with his golf skills

Rory McIlroy recently expressed displeasure with his shot after joining Tiger Woods and Scottie Scheffler in a long iron friendly contest. All three top golfers are TaylorMade athletes, and they combined forces to make a teaching video about long irons.

In a video published by TaylorMade on their YouTube channel, Scheffler and McIlroy were competing with long irons while Woods watched and helped guide them. He offered tips, constructive criticism, and praise. McIlroy, however, was not happy with one of his shots.

The Ryder Cup star hit one that went 143 miles per hour and had 4,640 rotations per minute. It reached 122 feet in the air and carried 214 yards. Those metrics seem fine, but McIlroy was not happy. He said to Woods and Scottie Scheffler (3:45 onwards):

"Not like that."

He was impressed with the ultimate result as it carried and rolled closer to the pin than he'd anticipated. Woods began giving him some tips and discussing how that shot happened, and McIlroy agreed.

Scheffler's shot right after was similar in metrics: 145 mph, 5,235 RPM, 124 feet high, and 214 yards. The trio agreed that this was a good shot from the world number one, though it did land in the bunker.

The video, however, was about the shot itself, not the result. Woods was watching their swings and how they used the long irons, not so much where the ball went. Golf is about the results, but getting better at golf like these two were is about the process.

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Rory McIlroy opens up on Major drought

Rory McIlroy hasn't won a Major in over 3,000 days. He last won at the 2014 PGA Championship. He seemed destined then to go on to rack up several more and earn a career grand slam.

Rory McIlroy is aiming to end a Major losing streak (Image via Getty)

That didn't transpire, though. McIlroy addressed the recent failures ahead of the 2025 Masters via ESPN:

"I've had chances to win some of the biggest golf tournaments in the world and it hasn't quite happened. But life moves on. You dust yourself off and you go again. I think that's why I've become a little more comfortable in laying everything out there and being somewhat vulnerable at times."

Rory McIlroy continued, saying he has been fortunate and unfortunate at times:

"Look, when you have a long career like I have had, luckily, you sort of just learn to roll with the punches, the good times, the bad times, knowing that if you do the right work and you practice the right way, that those disappointments will turn into good times again pretty soon."

If Rory McIlroy can break the streak and win the Masters this weekend, it will be the sixth-longest period between Major wins for any golfer in the history of the sport.