Rory McIlroy told to follow Wayne Rooney playbook and ‘fall back in love with golf’ to finally earn Masters victory
RORY McILROY has been told to follow the Wayne Rooney playbook if he wants to complete the career Grand Slam this week.
Top coach Pete Cowen, who works with McIlroy as a consultant, told the four-time Major winner the best way to finally win the one he needs to complete the set is to “fall back in love with golf”.
And he quoted Rooney as the perfect example of what it means to hang on to your childhood passion.
Cowen explained: “Wayne Rooney has always struck me as someone who isn’t in football just for the money but because he has always loved the game and always will.
“I’m not suggesting Rooney or anyone else would give back all the money they’ve made.
“But you get the impression if someone was organising a kickabout on the park, with coats for goalposts, he’d be the first one out there.
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“It’s about remembering what brought you into the game in the first place, that thrill of just doing something you absolutely love — and wanting to be the best.
“I think Rory has forgotten that a bit and he definitely needs to fall back in love with golf to have the best possible chance of winning at Augusta this week.
“Rory is already living the dream.
“If he would just stop putting so much pressure on himself, he’s got the talent to make plenty more dreams come true.
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“He’s gone down the road of reading all these self-help books, preaching motivational psychology, taking control of your inner self — whatever the hell that means — and the power of positive thinking.
“So I’ve told Rory to relax, free his mind and play every shot as if it’s the first one he’s ever hit.
“If you do that, the blips along the way don’t seem so huge — that applies to missing the cut in Texas last week.
“You could see how rusty he was after a couple of weeks off.
“He’ll be a very different animal at The Masters.”
McIlroy, 32, seems to be buying into Cowen’s advice not to get too wound up about completing the Grand Slam. His Major drought is rolling into its eighth year, since winning back-to-back titles in 2014 at The Open and USPGA.
But he dismissed suggestions a Masters win would define his career.
McIlroy said: “I don’t think I’ll ever be ‘just another golfer’ — four Majors, 32 wins worldwide, a world No 1, and a part of great Ryder Cups.
“I’m not just any other golfer, I’m a Hall of Famer. So I’m not worried about that.
“And I’m genuinely not worried, or overawed, about the challenge of winning at Augusta.
“When you’ve been here so often, all of a sudden you realise that it’s just another place.
“Yes, it’s beautiful and it’s iconic but the bottom line is it’s just a golf club.
“The less you can make it a big deal is the best way to get the best out of yourself.
“But that doesn’t mean the competitive spirit isn’t as strong as ever.
“This is the one I haven’t won and this is the one I want to win more than anything else.
“I’ve wanted to win The Masters ever since I was a little kid growing up in Northern Ireland.
“And with the Grand Slam as a goal, I’ve got a chance to do something very few people have ever done. That’s pretty cool.
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“It would be amazing for me and my career.
“But whether or not I win The Masters this week, or in the future, it certainly won’t ‘define’ me as a golfer.”