This year was supposed to be the year of Rory McIlroy, the year we would look back on as when he entered the hall of fame, but instead he has become a global superstar, which has messed up his mental game.
McIlroy struggled in the final round of the 2011 Masters, as he shot an 80 and blew his 54-hole four-stroke lead. But, after that, he came out flying in the U.S. Open, in which he won by eight strokes.
Shortly after becoming the No. 1 golfer, McIlroy won the PGA Championship. He won by eight strokes, which broke Jack Nicklaus’ margin of victory record of seven strokes.
Since then, McIlroy has lost his ranking as the best golfer in the world, despite having become a global image for the sport of golf.
In January he signed an endorsement deal with Nike worth significantly more than the current deal that Tiger Woods has with Nike. His current struggles have been connected to the Nike deal, which resulted in his change of equipment.
Being in the limelight on and off the course has seemed to affect McIlroy’s golf game negatively, as he is also in a relationship with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.
These struggles in McIlroy’s game appear to be coming from between his ears, as he is making mental mistakes, such as misreading putts and poorly managing the course. Time and practice are the two things that he needs to end his struggles.
McIlroy visited Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, NY, on Monday for media day before the PGA Championship — the defending champion always does this.
I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity be able to watch his round, as well as attend his news conference after his outing. He said that his struggles are all in his head and that once he is able to get a quality week of consistent play, he will be able to build from success and turn his game around.
The 2013 U.S. Open is next week at Merion Golf Club, outside of Philadelphia, Penn. This is a huge opportunity for McIlroy to start playing quality golf, as he has won this tournament once before.
Look for the young golfer to positively tear up the links in the near future and win a major or two before the year is over. I have belief in McIlroy, as I, along with others, have seen him play spectacular golf in the past and I know he is capable of putting himself back on top of the world of golf.
ab109410@ohiou.edu
