Secrets of a Champion

The truth is that if you took all of this away - the gym work, the practice time and the off-course support - and he never hit another ball in practice, McIlroy would still be an exceptionally good golfer. He would still be able to shoot rounds in the low 60s, bomb drives well over 300 yards and win important golf tournaments. But how many and for how long? That’s the key to this whole thing. The many pieces of the jigsaw on their own might only account for a small advancement in performance, but added together, they are the ingredients that can help Rory make history as one of golf’s greatest ever. As the man himself tells me: “Doing all of these things does make a difference, if we’re talking about power, carrying the bunker or not on the final hole of a Major or being able to hit the ball from the fairway instead of the rough or the bunker. There are so many tiny little variables in golf that if you can just get a little bit better, it’ll make a huge difference in the long run.”

Aged 27, Rory McIlroy is reaching a critical phase in his career. The next 15-plus years will determine his place in history. If the trajectory continues, he will find himself occupying the rarefied atmosphere reserved for the greats. But, as this interview illustrates, Rory also understands that if he wants to achieve something remarkable, the hard work can never stop. Further evidence, if you needed it, that champions are made, not born.