RORY McILROY added a new part to his armoury yesterday, working with Dr Bob Rotella ahead of this week’s Honda Classic at Palm Beach in Florida but with the longer-term goal that the leading sports psychologist – who was worked with American footballers, baseball players and basketball players as well as leading golfers, including Pádraig Harrington and Ernie Els – will help him take the next step towards a major victory.
McIlroy, who remains at number nine in the latest world rankings, had Rotella – who doesn’t approach potential clients, working on the theory that those who seek him out are ready to take on board whatever input he offers – walk nine holes with him yesterday as the new partnership took its fledgling steps.
Having enjoyed a breakthrough season last year that saw him claim a maiden tour title in the Dubai Desert Classic, as well as chalking up no fewer than 14 top-10 finishes on the European Tour and a third-place finish in the USPGA, the 20-year-old Ulsterman has taken a leaf out of Harrington’s book by enlisting Rotella as his mind guru as he ticks another box in the quest to become a more regular winner of titles.
“I don’t think there is anything wrong with me or my game, I just think that Bob can help me in some way and it’s definitely not going to hurt,” said McIlroy, explaining: “I feel as if my putting can get better and I think he can point me in the right direction with pre-shot routine and how to think leading up to hitting the putt.
“I’ve read all his books over the years and find what he says really interesting and appealing. I think this could make a couple of shots difference in tournaments and hopefully turn my top-threes and top-fives into wins; that would make it a worthwhile exercise,” said McIlroy.
McIlroy’s rise to number nine in the world has come on the back of getting into contention in virtually every tournament he plays, but – so far – that win in Dubai is the only victory on his CV.
“This is about getting experience and thinking about things at the right time, not hitting it longer or anything like that,” he said of teaming-up with Rotella.
Of course, McIlroy won’t have Rotella all to himself this week in Florida. Harrington, too, will be picking the brains of the psychologist as the Dubliner – who made a first-round exit at the hands of Jeev Mikha Singh in the Accenture Matchplay – returns to competitive duty ahead of next week’s WGC-CA Championship in Doral, while Graeme McDowell completes the trio of Irishmen in the field in the Honda where he is playing on a sponsor’s invite.
McDowell had sought the sponsor’s invite as security in case he dropped out of the world’s top-50, which would have affected his eligibility to compete in the megabucks, elite-field CA Championship. As it happened, he remained in 49th position in the latest world rankings – despite not playing last week – and he can seek to kick-start his season in the Honda before moving on to Doral next week.
Harrington and McIlroy have very similar schedules in the coming weeks, the two players taking in a two-week stint at the Honda and next week’s CA before a week’s break is followed by the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, the Shell Houston Open and, then, the US Masters in Augusta.
A winner of the Honda Classic in 2005 when it was played at Mirasol, Harrington’s best finish over the Champions Course was tied-13th in 2007 but playing here fits in with his philosophy of playing hard courses: it ranked as the fifth toughest on the entire PGA Tour last year, averaging 71.38 (to a par of 70) over the four rounds. McIlroy, who finished 13th last season, also has a liking for the lay-out. USPGA champion YE Yang of Korea is the defending champion.
With two top-10 finishes already this season, Darren Clarke, who has made the decision to return home to Northern Ireland on a full-time basis with his children, heads a small Irish contingent in this week’s Malaysian Open. Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy are also in the field. Clarke contended into the final round of the Avantha Masters in India on his last tour appearance three weeks ago before fading back to finish eighth.
The Ulsterman, currently ranked 108th in the world rankings, has also committed to playing in the Hassan II Trophy in Morocco in a fortnight’s time where, it is hoped, Paul McGinley will make his season reappearance after recuperating from his latest knee surgery.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Hegarty and Denis O’Sullivan are the only Irish representatives in the Brunei Masters in the Far East on the European Seniors Tour.
