Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I’LL GET RUTHLESS
Ambitious Mcilroy vows to take leaf out of Tiger’s book
RORY MCILROY realised a long time ago that having the eye of the Tiger is the route to success.
He rightly concluded that golf fans across the world are drawn to singular winners.
That being nice in this game doesn’t always deliver acclaim and legacy.
It’s a “ruthless” mantra the four-times Major winner plans to take into this week’s Irish Open and the second half of a memorable career.
Ahead of teeing it up at Portstewart this afternoon, Mcilroy was asked about the benefits of adopting a killer instinct in the top echelons of a cutthroat sport.
“It’s realising that it’s OK to be a winner – it’s OK to be a little selfish,” he replied. “It sort of hit home when Tiger Woods had the whole scandal thing in 2009 and 2010. He came back and there was a lot of talk but he got into contention at Augusta and people loved it.
“People loved that he might win and that he was a winner. After everything that went on I was like ‘People like winners, it’s OK to be one of those people, it’s OK to have a ruthless streak’.
“You don’t have to feel guilty. That’s why we practise and work hard. You want to win tournaments and hopefully put your name in the history books.”
Mcilroy, bidding to become the first player to defend the Irish Open since Colin Montgomerie in 1996-97, has won four Majors to date after lifting the US Open, Open and PGA twice.
Earlier this week, nine-times Major champion Gary Player claimed the 28-year-old needs at least two more
to be considered one of the game’s true “superstars”.
While the Ulsterman didn’t directly address those comments yesterday, it’s clear he’s determined to “make hay” and bolster his haul with The Open at Royal Birkdale just 14 days away.
Emulating Woods, who has won 14 Majors and dominated the game in the 2000s, is also on his to-do list.
He said: “I’m sort of hitting the prime of my career now and I’d love to get on a sustained run like Tiger did. It will take a lot of drive, a lot of practice but I’m willing to do that.
“Right now, I feel I’m in with a group of guys that could all have a chance to be the best player in the world and hopefully over these next few years I can maybe separate myself. It’s nearly my 10th year as a pro and I feel like the next 10 years is where I really want to start to make hay and win a lot of tournaments and be in contention in a lot of Majors.”
Asked about his recent fall to fourth in the rankings, Mcilroy drew chuckles when he quipped “back to Ringo” – a comical reference to fourth Beatle Ringo Starr.
There have been mitigating factors. A recent switch to Taylormade clubs brought its own distractions while a troublesome rib injury has limited him to eight outings this year.
“Does it bother me? Yeah,” said Mcilroy of his ranking. “I’m not where I want to be but I feel like there’s been a couple of things have been out of my control. I’ve said all along that winning tournaments and playing well takes care of the rankings.”