From The Whiteboard: The Masters
So, we have officially hit the point in the semester where college students are overworked, undermotivated and simply exhausted beyond belief. I contemplated for days what I wanted to talk about this week and truthfully the only thing I want to think about is taking a nap — so I figured what better to focus on than golf!
From April 10-14 in Augusta, Georgia, the world’s best golfers set foot on the green to compete for their own iconic green blazer in the timeless tradition of the Masters Tournament, one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world.
The game of golf is perhaps one of the most mentally challenging sports to exist, as I can personally attest to many mental breakdowns on the golf course. But then again, maybe I am just really bad.
Anyway, for tournaments like the Masters, having your mental game on par is almost as important as shooting … well, on par. Unfortunately for many of the best players, getting into a bad mental space can bring everything downhill very quickly. With that being said, let’s talk about Rory McIlroy.
It’s all in your mind McIlroy!
Heading into his 17th Masters appearance, McIlroy was a strong contender, but after his performance in the first round, the likelihood of him finishing as a champion was questionable.
For most of the day on Thursday, McIlroy was one of the frontrunners, playing an excellent game and looking to be a first-round leader. On hole 15, however, things began to change.
Sitting at four-under with only four holes to go, McIlroy had an unfortunate chip that rolled a little too far on the green and right into the pond. Back on dry land, he finished the hole shooting a seven on a par-5. His game did not improve as he moved on to garner yet another double bogey on hole 17.
Finishing the day shooting a 72, McIlroy made his way off the green avoiding media on his way out, something not uncommon for the golfer in recent years.
“Have I handled it the best at times? Probably not,” McIlroy told ESPN Originals when asked about his previous Masters losses.
The narrative is rewritten.
Remember when I said golf is all mental? Well, this proved to be true once again as McIlroy stepped onto the course for the next three days of play with a brand-new attitude, and his scores reflected that.
One key to McIlroy’s ability to regroup is the support of Bob Rotella, a golf psychologist. Following his rough ending on Thursday, McIlroy met with Rotella, who appeared to help relieve some of the pressure from off his shoulders.
“We’re probably going to spend as much time talking about the fact that whether you win the Masters or don’t, you’re going to have an unbelievable career,” Rotella said while a guest on the podcast Musings on Golf.
This advice appeared to sit well with McIlroy as he cruised through the next few days, appearing to have recovered from his Thursday troubles.
By the final round on Sunday, McIlroy had made a complete 180, finding himself on the top of the leaderboard, despite his four double bogeys.
By the end of the 18th hole, McIlroy was tied with Justin Rose for first, leading them to go into a sudden-death playoff round. For those unfamiliar with this, the idea is simple: Both players continue to play more holes until one finishes with a score better than the other. This is something that has only taken place 11 times in Masters history since 1979, the last one being in 2017.
Drive it all home, Rory!
In just three strokes, McIlroy claimed his first ever Masters title. This was more than just any old birdie — this performance made him the sixth player in history to complete a career Grand Slam, winning all four of professional golf’s major tournaments.
Nobody with more than three double bogeys has won the Masters before this win. McIlroy also went down as the first player in Masters history to begin a round with five consecutive par-3s, a feat he accomplished during Saturday’s round.
Sinking his final putt in the hole, McIlroy dropped to his knees with tears in his eyes, celebrating the long-awaited victory in his 11th attempt at completing the Grand Slam. Hey, I would be crying too if I just won $4.2 million!
No doubt McIlroy has had his ups and downs. Will he have more bad games? Oh, absolutely. But he is now cemented as one of the golf greats, and after overcoming over a decade of Masters losses, I cannot help but be happy for him.
White is the sports editor for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X.
