Rory McIlroy begs to differ with the world’s perception that 2013 was his annus horribilis.
On the eve of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, the same tournament where his slide began exactly one year ago, the 24-year-old Northern Irishman instead called it “a great year”, and added he has become a lot “smarter and happier” because of it.
McIlroy started last year ranked No1 in the world amid much fanfare, when Nike unveiled him as their global ambassador following a world record sponsorship contract, but after missing the cut here, he struggled all the way through to the FedEx Cup Play-offs.
In between, he tried out various combinations of drivers and balls, fought his swing, stomped off the course, dumped his previous management company and started his own Rory McIlroy Inc, got involved in court cases and had to endure intense scrutiny of his private life and vicious rumours of breaking up with girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki.
Things started turning around for him in the last quarter, and after some positive outings in Asia, he claimed his first win of the year in December when he beat world No2 and red-hot Adam Scott in sensational fashion at the Australian Open.
One of his two legal issues – versus Oakley – was settled, and most importantly, he proposed to Wozniacki and is now engaged.
McIlroy, who said he worked his “ass off” in the two weeks since the New Year, added: “Reflecting back on last year, there was a lot of instability or whatever, and I feel like I’m just starting this year on such a different sort of platform.
“Everything feels like it sort of fell into place and I can just focus on my golf. I’m happy that I can go and try and play the golf that I know that I can.
“I am not going to sit here and say that all the stuff going on off the golf course wasn’t a distraction and say that it didn’t affect me.
“Of course it did. You’re thinking of other things when you really shouldn’t have to. But if I’m ever going to have to go through something like that, I’ve learned from it and I’m smarter because of it.
“It’s great that I’ve went through it at this stage in my career and not 15 years down the line. But as a whole, 2013, if you look at everything, it was a great year. And I’m just really excited to start 2014.”
McIlroy feels another big positive this year is the fact that he is now completely satisfied with the clubs and balls he is using.
“It’s been nice to play with the same clubs. I’m using the exact same setup that I used for the last quarter of last year, so for me not to be using anything else or testing anything or tinkering around, it’s been great,” added McIlroy, who has finished inside the top five in four of his six starts in Abu Dhabi.
“I’ve never really been a tinkerer as such. Once I’ve set on something, I like to just keep it. I feel like the driver and the ball that I’ve put in just before going to that Asian stretch at the end of the year has really, really helped.”
McIlroy revealed he popped the question to Wozniacki while aboard a boat in Sydney Harbour watching the New Year fireworks.
“It will only help to have that stability and know everything in my life is set. It’s a big step in anyone’s life to make that decision, and obviously it’s not one that you sort of take lightly,” said McIlroy.
