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Rory McIlroy is carrying the dual burdens of being a huge fan favourite and an anti-LIV spokesman, Justin Thomas has claimed.

The Ulsterman took his winless Major streak to 30 after finishing third at The Open after starting the final round with a four-shot lead, along with Viktor Hovland. Winning a Major title is hard enough. But US PGA champion Thomas reckons McIlroy, the most popular player under the sun at St Andrews, is also playing under the weight of expectation as his Major title drought heads beyond eight years.

“He hasn’t won a Major since 2014,” said the world No.7. “For a player of his calibre, I know he is very frustrated with that. He has earned the right to be arguably the second biggest name in golf other than Tiger [Woods] with the success he has had.

"I think the expectation part is one of the hardest things I have had to deal with in terms of feeling you should play well and win, or wanting to win because everyone wants you to win. I think that is really underrated. To be able to perform with that expectation and pressure. It is really hard for him with the number of people pulling him.”

McIlroy is also the highest-profile player director on the PGA Tour ’s policy board and an outspoken critic of the Saudi breakaway league. So as well as