- 35-year-old professional golfer Rory McIlroy turned the sixth participant to finish a profession grand slam after profitable the Masters Match Sunday for the primary time. In a press convention in 2022, McIlroy mirrored on his success as much as then and gave some timeless recommendation to a fellow Gen Z golfer that goes far past the world of sports activities.
Rory McIlroy received the Masters for the primary time Sunday, cementing his title in golf historical past and netting him a $4.2 million payday, however his recommendation for attending to the highest has extra to do with life than sports activities.
The 35-year-old McIlroy clinched his first Masters Sunday since going professional in 2007, and after a nerve-wracking sudden-death win, he’s now solely the sixth professional golfer ever to finish a profession grand slam by profitable all 4 main golf championships: the Masters Match, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and the Open Championship. Among the many different 5 winners are golf legends like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. Because of his golf success, McIlroy has made greater than $100 million in prize cash over his profession, and reportedly has a web value of about $200 million.
Throughout a press convention following the 2022 CJ Cup in South Carolina, McIlroy was requested a shock query by a then 20-year-old up-and-coming professional Tom Kim about managing his success.
“What’s it like having a lot success as a younger participant? Popping out and a few years on tour, how do you handle all that,” Kim requested McIlroy.
Chuckling, McIlroy gave his Gen Z colleague some professional golfer recommendation that not solely applies to world-famous athletes, but in addition to profession professionals trying to attain the highest of their sport.
“I feel the largest factor that I noticed is managing your time,” McIlroy stated. “You’re going to be pulled in so many various instructions. You’ve acquired one, two, three, 4, I can see 5 sponsors on you at this level, proper?
“So it’s simply attempting to handle your time to comprehend what acquired you to this place, proper? Why are you a two-time PGA Tour winner, why are you such an awesome participant? And it’s the time that you simply put into it and it’s the follow, it’s not dropping sight of that.”
On the finish, McIlroy stated juggling his tasks adequately helps him keep on the high, regardless that he stated it’s more durable to take care of the crown than to win it.
“I’ve virtually discovered it simpler to get to No. 1 on this planet than staying there. I feel staying there may be more durable. I feel you’ve acquired a bulls-eye in your again, you’ve started working more durable, everybody’s coming after you. That’s the one factor I might say is simply managing your time and never forgetting why you’re on this place and why you’re so fortunate to get to play with me the subsequent two days,” McIlroy added.
McIlroy is at the moment the second-best participant on this planet behind final yr’s Masters winner Scottie Scheffler, based on the PGA Tour. In 2022, McIlroy completed second to Scheffler within the Masters, dropping by three strokes.
McIlroy has fallen wanting profitable the Masters greater than as soon as, and has confronted a number of setbacks—even this yr, he suffered a slight elbow damage simply earlier than the Masters and scored a disastrous double-bogey on the primary gap—however he made historical past with Sunday’s win.
Talking throughout the post-tournament press convention, McIlroy stated for years he carried the burden of attempting to hitch the ranks of the professionals who’ve accomplished a profession grand slam, and alongside the best way noticed lots of his friends win the Masters and earn the esteemed inexperienced jacket earlier than him. Nonetheless, McIlroy stated he was by no means shaken.
“It’s been 14 lengthy years, however fortunately I acquired the job executed,” he stated.
This story was initially featured on Fortune.com