2020 Masters: Rory McIlroy Aims for Balance, and a Green Jacket

Long seen as Tiger Woods’s heir apparent, McIlroy, 31, collected four major titles before his 26th birthday. A victory at the Masters would give him a career Grand Slam. Anything less would extend his winless streak in the majors to six years.

McIlroy is deeply inquisitive, a searcher who is convinced that happiness in his personal life will lead to success on the golf course and not vice versa. In an interview earlier this year with Golf Digest, McIlroy said he had worked diligently over the past year to enhance his relationships with his parents; his wife, Erica Stoll; and others in his inner circle.

“Maybe I felt that everything revolved around me and everyone should know what I need,” McIlroy said.

He returned to the theme in his pre-Masters news conference this week when asked how the birth on Aug. 31 of his first child — a daughter, Poppy Kennedy — had changed his perspective.

“I grew up as an only child and an only child playing golf,” McIlroy said, “so I feel like the whole world revolved around me for a long time. And now it doesn’t. It revolves around this little person.”

McIlroy’s quest not to be the center of his world comes across as almost revolutionary in the world of professional sports. During his major championship drought, there are those who have wondered if McIlroy is too well-adjusted for the good of his game.

“You definitely can be too unselfish,” said Tim S. Grover, the author of “Relentless,” a book about the mentality of great performers that is based on his work as a personal trainer with basketball players like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/14/sports/golf/rory-mcilroy-masters.html