Rory McIlroy was a key figure for his team at this year's Ryder Cup. Most of the expectations were focused on him, aware that the biggest threat came from the 36-year-old who had already won the Masters in April of that year and thus had an additional motivation to win the Ryder Cup.
In an interview with the Overlap Podcast, Rory McIlroy spoke about interesting moments at this year's Ryder Cup. He put special emphasis on Sunday's singles, saying that the week had been extremely difficult for him, especially on the mental level.
At one point, Rory McIlroy completely lost the feeling of his swing and seemed quite confused. It seemed as if nervousness was slowly creeping into his body and as if he had no recipe for such a crisis in the game.
“For me, that week, it was mental,“ he said.
“I felt okay. I’d say, for the front nine on Sunday, and then I just I felt like I hit a wall, and it’s, um, I completely lost the feeling of my swing, so I felt…
Like, I was trying to hit, say, a five-yard fade. I was trying to hit it left to right, and the ball was coming out and curving 15 yards right to left. And I was just like, ‘what is this?’, I was just completely lost.
It hasn’t ever happened to me like that. But, you know, you’re used to seeing the ball come out in a certain window, a certain shape or a certain trajectory, and this just I was like, ‘I can’t do it’.
Mindset
However, he knew that he must not give up and that it must not be an obstacle for him.
Rory McIlroy reveals that the reason for such emotions on Sunday was precisely the long week, considering that you arrive at the course at 4:30 in the morning, and you don't return to the hotel until around 9:00 in the evening.
In between, you don't have much rest and you can't sleep more than six hours, considering that you arrive at the other part of the course at 4:00 in the morning and play 36 holes.
Rory McIlroy reveals that he likes to arrive at the course 2 to 3.5 hours early, considering that he warms up in the gym and has a certain routine.
