1 week Ago By Vincent Whelan
RORY McILROY is escaping the pressure of another Grand Slam glory bid by reading John Grisham’s courtroom drama, The Reckoning.But as McIlroy contemplates his own day of reckoning on Sunday, the jury is still out on whether he can finally pull on a Green Jacket.GettyHe is only behind Scottie Scheffler as this week’s most likely champion according to bookmakers[/caption]The Mega AgencyIrish actor Nicola Coughlan stars in the hit Netflix period drama Bridgerton[/caption]GettyHe’s spoken this week about how being a dad has helped him to take golfing disappointments in stride far easier than he was younger[/caption]Discussing his chances of adding a Masters victory to his Open, US Open and two USPGA triumphs, he was flanked by two giant pictures of himself in action at Augusta.
The caption read: “Rory McIlroy, Holywood, Northern Ireland, 17th appearance, best finish 2 (2022).”If Rory is to sit in the media centre next April with that last line changed to ‘best finish 1 (2025)’, he must prove he can handle the weight of expectation, which gets heavier every year.But McIlroy, 35, feels he has never been better equipped to shrug off his past heartbreak in Georgia — none more painful than his 2011 meltdown when he threw away a four-shot lead with a final-round 80.
And ahead of teeing off tomorrow, he said: “I’ve shown a lot of resilience from setbacks and it’s something I’m really proud of.“You have disappointments but as long as you put those learnings into practice, I feel it is very important.“When you have a long career like I’ve had, luckily, you learn to roll with the punches.
“You take the good times and bad times, knowing if you do the right work — and practice right — those disappointments will turn into good times again pretty soon. “There was a time when I was less willing to get my heart broken by the game than I am now.“That is just a self-preservation mechanism.
“It’s just where you’re trying to not put 100 per cent of yourself out there because of what might happen — and that happens in all walks of life.“At a certain point, someone doesn’t want to fall in love as they don’t want to get their heart broken.“We hold back sometimes because of a fear of getting hurt — whether conscious or subconscious.
“I was doing that on the golf course a little bit for a few years.“But once you go through those heartbreaks — as I call them — or disappointments, you get to a place where you remember how it feels and you wake up the next day and you’re like, ‘Yeah, life goes on’.“‘It’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be’.
“I’ve gone through those times, especially in the last few years, where I’ve had chances to win some of the biggest tournaments and it hasn’t quite happened.“But life moves on. You dust yourself off and go again.
“That’s why I’ve become more comfortable in laying everything out there and being somewhat vulnerable at times.” FICTION ESCAPISMThat change of attitude also explains why McIlroy abandoned his passion for self-help books, which often seemed to confuse him with hard-to-understand psychobabble.Grinning, he said: “For the first time in a long time I am reading a novel.
“I actually got some fiction into my life!“It’s a John Grisham book, The Reckoning. I’m enjoying it.“I’ve also started watching Bridgerton .
. . Erica got me into that.
”McIlroy has real momentum after victories at Pebble Beach and Sawgrass in the past few months.And he has added motivation to keep winning as four-year-old daughter Poppy is starting to take an interest in his ‘job’.McIlroy — who has won four Majors in his career — explained: “Having her around definitely makes the lows a little easier to take.
“The highs are going to be high anyway but it’s amazing that it still makes a difference there, too.“When I won The Players last month, it was the first time she sort of realised what I did, which was really cool.“And also a little scary at the same time!“It’s great that I can share these things with her and with Erica.
“The day after The Players, she went into school and there were a couple of kids that had said some stuff to her.“And she came home that day and said, ‘Daddy, are you famous?’ I said, ‘It depends who you talk to’.“It’s a double-edged sword.
You have to temper the expectations sometimes.“But as everyone with children knows, it’s just an amazing addition to life.“And it’s great that she’s here this week.
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