Thought For The Day – Wednesday 23^rd April 2025

Over the holidays there was another inspirational sporting and life story.

This was a further example in 2025 of losing something to find it.

The golfing career of Rory McIlroy, from Northern Ireland,  was already world class, on and off the course.  But there was a missing piece to Rory’s professional jigsaw, a first United States’ “Masters” victory and “Green Jacket”, in so doing, becoming only the sixth male golfer in history to win all four major tournaments (the so-called “Grand Slam”).

A further issue was this missing piece had taken eleven years to find.  In that time, though Rory had numerous brilliant and world class successes, Rory’s last major golf championship victory was in August of 2014. To make matters worse in many respects, Rory had so many tough moments where he just missed out, where he came close, after being in contention and leading,  including the “Masters” itself 14 years ago. 

But Rory stayed patient, trusted his process and continued to seek, and action, improvement. Rory kept believing. He showed grace under pressure.  Respectful and resilient Rory.

Rory appeared for his latest attempt two weeks ago.  In the pre-tournament press conference, Rory spoke of his love of the “Masters” and the Augusta National golf course, watching the tournament with his dad growing up, falling in love with the game and having a dream. Rory talked personally, and philosophically, about having the courage to put himself “out there” and risk more “heartbreak”, or as he preferred to call it “disappointment”,  and having perspective:  “You get to a place where you wake up the next day…Life goes on, it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Life moves on. You dust yourself off and you go again. I think that’s why I’ve become a little more comfortable in laying everything out there and being somewhat vulnerable at times.” Rory  talked of re-defining what winning meant to him: “If I can go home tonight and look in the mirror before I go to bed and be like: ‘That’s the way I want to feel when I play golf’, that, to me, is a victory.”

Rory started his first round very well but, after finishing by scoring 4 more than par on the last two holes doubts, amongst some, resurfaced.  Rory gave no press conference.  Actions would speak louder than words.  Two consecutive rounds of 6 under par each, including on “Moving Day”  (Year 10 and Year 12 in curriculum terms), where Rory arrived at the course early to practice the very shot he would ultimately need on the Sunday,  ensured Rory led at the start of the final round. Was this his time?  Or would it be yet another “nearly story”? 

Rory started the final day in challenging fashion, losing the lead,  but, with a number of brilliant imaginative and shots, including from, over and around the trees,  it appeared that destiny would be finally fulfilled.

The last moments are always the most challenging, especially at the “Masters”. Rory made mistakes and, after missing a final put, Rory was in a play-off with the outstanding Justin Rose of England.

After missing his latest opportunity to win, Rory walked off the green, immediately kissed his four-year-old daughter, Poppy, and went to work again.  Perspective.   Poppy herself had holed a 25-foot putt in the family tournament on the eve of the “Masters”.

Rory had talked all week of blocking out the noise and narratives, staying in his bubble, turning off his mobile ‘phone and following the advice of the sports psychologist he had been working with, Dr. Bob Rotella  (“Golf is not a game of perfect”), of focusing on the next shot not the last and resiliently moving forward.  As Rory walked to the play-off hole, his caddie, Harry Diamond,  offered the positive and true advice :  “We would have taken this on Monday morning.”

Justin Rose played two excellent shots on the play-off hole.  Even more importantly and excellently, Justin (pictured above) showed total class in being happy for his friend when Rory holed his historic winning put.  Sportspersonship.  Values.  

As realization of his victory dawned,  with the patrons chanting “Rory”, Rory McIlroy sank to his knees in tears. Emotions that Rory would  share with his family and when talking afterwards about all his parents gave him growing up in Northern Ireland.

“Never give up on your dreams. Keep coming back. Keep working hard. And if you put your mind to it, you can do anything”, said Rory afterwards.

“It fell out of Heaven”: Rory’s brilliance, including “the shot of a lifetime” in the final round: https://youtu.be/tXvYOatkmjc?si=mjNYtaUUgyIC_5Ie

“Block out the noise”: On the eve of destiny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAQqNU3TtOk

“Never give up on your dreams. Keep coming back” (play with volume on):  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIgv3ZDtmSq/