Lessons from the Green
What McIlroy’s Grand Slam teaches us about droughts and mindset
I don’t watch a lot of golf. It’s not that I dislike it - quite the contrary - it’s just that it takes an awfully long time. That’s actually part of the allure, though. It’s slow, it’s measured, and there’s a lot of time to get in your head in between shots.
The only time I’ve actually been to a golf tournament was in 1999, when my Dad and I watched Tiger Woods play in the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines. Even though I knew nothing about sport psychology as a then high schooler, I appreciated how focused and calm these golfers needed to be. The silence before each shot made me nervous.
Last weekend, Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy performed brilliantly under pressure and won the Masters in dramatic fashion. After missing a short put on the 72nd hole, McIlroy forced a sudden-death playoff with Justin Rose. On the 18th green, the first hole of the playoff, McIlroy hit a solid tee shot, nailed the approach, and set himself up for a 3-foot birdie. Once the ball dropped into the hole, McIlroy’s entire body exhaled. He looked up, cradled his head with his hands, and fell to his knees, completely overcome with emotion.
With this win, McIlroy completed a career Grand Slam, becoming only the 6th golfer to do so and joining the ranks of Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus to win the Masters, the Open Championship, the U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship.
But here’s what makes this even more significant: This Masters win came after a very long drought. McIlroy hadn’t won a major championship for 11 years. For 11 years, the career Grand Slam eluded him. No wonder his whole body exhaled.
We all know that droughts happen. In sport, in work, and in life, we may find ourselves going through long bouts where success seemingly plateaus. But that doesn’t mean that growth plateaus. And that doesn’t mean that it’s over.
McIlroy shared an interesting realization about his mindset during those first few years after his last majors win in 2014. In short, he played small. He golfed in a way that emphasized avoidance rather than approach. He wasn’t bold on the golf course because, in a way, he was trying to protect himself. He was scared of getting hurt. In March, he told The Athletic, “People, I think, instinctually as human beings we hold back sometimes because of the fear of getting hurt, whether that’s a conscious decision or subconscious decision, and I think I was doing that on the golf course a little bit for a few years.”
McIlroy said that he mentally framed the major tournaments just like every other tournament - and in doing so, he didn’t necessarily rise to the occasion. Instead, he failed to accept that, actually, these major tournaments are . . . major. They’re unlike the others. They’re bigger and any failure there will be more public. That’s just the way it is. This mindset perpetuated the drought - and over time, the pressure built.
But, there’s a lot to gain from witnessing someone emerge from a long drought such as this. McIlroy kept fighting. He recognized weaknesses in his mental game and he attacked them, with self-compassion and guidance. Guidance came in the form of renowned sport psychologist, Bob Rotella. Rotella helped McIlroy realize that it was a feeling he was after, and if he could align with that feeling, he’d realize success.
On Sunday, McIlroy did not speak to his playing partner, Bryson DeChambeau, the entire round. That was his strategy - to stay dialed in and intensely focused on his own game. Why? Because he was after a feeling.
After the win, McIlroy said, “My battle today was with my mind, and staying in the present. It was a struggle, but I got over the line.”
When we’re really honest, the mind is usually where the battle takes place. Harnessing your focus and staying present. And when you do that hour after hour, day after day, and year after year, you may accomplish what you sought out to do. And if you don’t? You certainly grew.
