A year ago, Rory McIlroy was at the center of one of the most bizarre episodes in the history of the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic.
McIlroy was the defending champion but the double Major winner looked more akin to a weekend hacker.
He cited a tooth pain but that really was not at the heart of 27 painful holes on the PGA National course in Florida.
McIlroy’s new Nike clubs and his crimson red driver had caused the then World No. 1 enough embarrassment.
A year lago – Rory McIlroy walks off in the defence of his Honda Classic title. (Photo – www.pgatour.com)
And 12 months on, the now No. 8 in the world insisted no one should walk off a golf course, no matter how poorly you are playing.
“You should never walk off the golf course, no matter how bad things are,” said McIlroy on the eve of the year.
“But I just – it was just one of these days, I just felt like I couldn’t cope with anything more, especially not the way I was heading, I was going to shoot 90.”
Of course, McIlroy has many times explained since then explained the mental anguish he was enduring, and largely off the golf course.
“My mental state wasn’t quite where I needed it to be,” he said.
“There was a few things that were occupying my thoughts that probably didn’t need to be and shouldn’t have been, but it was just a very difficult time.”
Asked if he was embarrassed in walking off McIlroy responded: “It’s not embarrassing, because I think a lot of people in the same situation might have done the same thing.
“But I’ve learned from it and I’ve moved on. It wasn’t my finest hour, but at the end of the day, everyone makes mistakes.”
But after a stunning come from behind victory in the end-of-season Australian Open and a near victory in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship McIlroy is back in a right place on the golf course.
“I’m happy with where I am now,” said McIlroy.
“I mean, it’s difficult to deal with, especially when you haven’t had to deal with it before. But everyone deals with it in different ways. I guess it was just a little bit of a shock to the system for me, and I just needed a little bit of time to deal with a few different things.
“A missed cut wouldn’t have been that bad instead of a withdrawal,” he admitted.
