McIlroy – New Season, New Clubs, New Ball, New Challenge, Same Dominant Golfer

2 hours ago by 0

It comes as no surprise to see Rory McIlroy’s name atop of the leaderboard in his first event of what is the start to his 19th pro career season.

McIlroy was last in Dubai at the end of November, capturing the Race to Dubai title for a seventh occasion.

Since then he’s been honoured with a number of other awards – Irish Golf Writers ‘Golfer of the Year’ and the BBCs ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ award.

And now with a new set of TalyorMade clubs and the new golf ball, McIlroy’s has come back out to compete inside the ropes posting an impressive seven birdies in a five-under opening round 66 at the second edition of the Dubai Invitational.

McIlroy’s effort, and in the event he should have won two years ago had it not been for putting his 72nd hole tee shot into Dubai Creek, handed him the clubhouse lead while Englishman Matt Wallace grabbed an eagle and six birdies to be six-under with a few holes to play.

Let’s hear from Rors.

And there was also the following questions:

Q. Rory, thanks for joining us. Five weeks since your last competitive start on the world’s major tours. How do you feel about your round 66 today?

RORY McILROY: “Yeah, it was good. I got off to a great start, played a very good first nine. And then the wind got up a little bit and felt like that front nine, which was our second nine, was the trickier one. And made a silly bogey on 3, and then didn’t capitalise on the par-5 after that.

“So I felt like I left a few out on that side, but I played a really good nine holes of golf. Overall, a nice way to start the year”.

Q. To compete at the very top of this sport, you have to put in the hard work, the practise, the gym work. What’s your motivation to do that this year, having achieved so much and most of your dreams came true last year?

RORY McILROY: “I like the work. I like the process. I enjoy doing challenging things. And I think if you can make that the important part, and you just make that routine, then you don’t need motivation to do it. It’s your lifestyle. It’s what you do. And it’s, I guess, who you identify as.

“And I identify as a hard worker and someone that likes to do those things, and I think the more and more you do that, the more it just sort of becomes who you are. And I’ve done it for so long now that if I didn’t do it, it would feel pretty foreign at this point”.

Thanks Rors, well said and well played.



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