Rory McIlroy admits he needed time to reset after Grand Slam – but now he knows his next goal
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Rory McIlroy admits that ticking off the Grand Slam left him struggling to find his next mountain to climb – but he has now reset his sights and is ready for the next chapter.
Rory McIlroy says he was left struggling for motivation in the weeks that followed his Masters triumph, admitting he had to “recalibrate” after finally completing the career Grand Slam at Augusta National.
Speaking to Off The Ball ahead of this week’s Amgen Irish Open at The K Club, the 36-year-old opened up about the emotional crash that followed the biggest moment of his career.
“The reaction that I had, the heaving and the convulsions and my forehead on the 18th green, screaming – I didn’t plan for how I was going to feel afterwards,” McIlroy said.
“For the last decade, my chase was to try and get that elusive Masters and win the Grand Slam. And now that I’ve done that, I think it’s just taken me a little bit of time to recalibrate and think about, okay, what are my goals going forward?
“I’m still only 36. I feel like I’ve got a good eight to ten years at the very top level of the game left. So at this point, it’s about resetting those goals and giving myself more objectives to aim for.”
So, what’s driving him now? The obvious answer is to go back for seconds – another Green Jacket, another Claret Jug, another US Open. But there’s also a more unique mission.
“Harry [Diamond, his caddie] said to me pretty soon after I won Augusta, ‘You know, it’s great you’ve won the Grand Slam, but I haven’t yet.’”
That sentiment hit home for McIlroy, who’s known Diamond since they were kids.
“It’d be cool to be able to do that with Harry. One of my favourite things about winning the Masters was being able to do it with Harry. We met on the putting green at Hollywood Golf Club when I was seven years old, and then suddenly we’re striding up the last hole with a chance to win a Green Jacket. That’s as good as it gets. If he’s on the journey with me for the rest of my career and we can pick off a few more, that would be amazing.”
Of course, being golf’s most recent Grand Slam champion comes with a different kind of responsibility: the Green Jacket itself.
“I travel with it everywhere because people want to see it, which is very cool,” McIlroy said. “But it’s the only Green Jacket that’s outside of the club for the year. You’ve got to be careful with it, respect the traditions. You have to be mindful about where you wear it and what you wear it with – white shirt, Augusta tie, suitable footwear. You have to make sure you do the right thing.”
And then there’s the small matter of next April’s Champions’ Dinner.
“I haven’t even thought about it, which is bad,” he admitted. “But there’ll be plenty of suggestions this week. I need to sit down pretty soon and get that sorted. But yeah, I’m excited for that next year.”
McIlroy may still be figuring out his menu, but in terms of motivation, the Northern Irishman sounds like he’s found his appetite again.
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After completing the Grand Slam, Rory McIlroy has reset his goals.
