Rory opens up on his major record

This week sees the second of the year's majors in the men's game and, while Scottie Scheffler might have won the first, almost as big were the final-round efforts of Rory McIlroy. After three days the Northern Irishman was sitting at a very ordinary one over par, then he went bogey free in a scintillating closing 64.

He capped it off with a holed bunker shot and there was the very slightest glimmer, that Scheffler shot down in style, that he might make it a play-off. Now all eyes turn to the PGA Championship at Southern Hills and McIlroy will be gunning for a fifth major, his last major coming in the same tournament, incredibly, eight years ago.

Then, with his win at Valhalla, McIlroy looked set to rule the roost for some time. It was his fourth major by the age of 25 and his second in the space of a few months. But since then the cupboard has been bare.

"I haven't given myself enough chances. I think if I would have had more chances, and realistic chances, it's a bit like tournaments as well - the more you just keep putting yourself in those positions, the more comfortable you're going to feel up there. And sooner or later, if you keep knocking on the door, one of those doors is going to open for you," McIlroy told 5 Live Sport's All About: The Open podcast.

"I had a chance at Carnoustie in 2018, I played the final group with Patrick Reed in 2018 at Augusta. I was tied for the lead with nine holes to go at the US Open last year at Torrey Pines. I've had a few chances, and I just haven't capitalised."

Everyone has an opinion on why the one-time boy wonder hasn't added to his tally. We all like to talk about things like his wedge play, putting, getting spooked by Augusta, his slow starts or his general outlook but one certainty is that the depth of those players around him is getting so much deeper.

"Players are getting better and better. Whenever I won my last major in 2014 I had never heard of Collin Morikawa, I'd never heard of Jon Rahm, a lot of these young guys that are coming through are playing unbelievably good golf. I don't have to just beat five guys, there's 100,120,140 guys every week that you're trying to beat and they're all phenomenally good golfers. I think it's just a matter of putting myself in position a few more times. As I said, you knock on some of those doors and eventually one will open."

Another certainty with McIlroy is that we're all too quick to point to the negatives which is a compliment in itself given how easily he has won majors in the past and how brilliant he can appear at times.

"I haven't won a major in the last seven years but I've basically won everything else there is to win in golf. I've won the Players Championship, I've won FedEx Cups, I've won Race to Dubai titles, World Golf Championships, I've won National Opens. I've done a lot. Yes, that hasn't included a major but I've played good enough golf in those seven years to win one. I'm staying as patient as I possibly can and to just keep giving myself chances. If I do keep giving myself chances hopefully those chances end up turning into wins."