http://sport360.com/golfRory McIlroy revealed on Tuesday how he sits on his first airline flight of the year and writes down his goals for the season on the back of his boarding pass.
As expected, McIlroy refused to make his goals public, but he did say there were seven targets he has set for himself in 2015.
So what could those seven goals be? Given that highly effective individuals like to set very precise tasks for themselves, I have tried to make an educated guess.
One thing seems certain: McIlroy would like his goals to be golf-related. He doesn’t seem like someone who’d want to ‘lose a few kilos’, or ‘find a new girlfriend’ kind of a goal-setter.
Here is what we think are the seven items on McIlroy’s list…
Win a Green Jacket: McIlroy has never tried to hide his excitement about the possibilities this year when he drives down the Magnolia Lane for the Masters week.
The 25-year-old is keen to get even with the golf course that has perhaps given him the most heart-breaking moment of his entire career (the back nine of the 2011 tournament).
But he will never set foot on the hallowed turf with revenge on his mind. Instead, the feelings will be more positive in that he wants to add his name to a very select club of golfers who have achieved a career grand slam.
Open at St Andrews: McIlroy must feel like he has unfinished business at the Open Championship, especially when it is played at the Old Course at St Andrews.
After all, he started with a blistering 63 on the opening day when the Open was last held there in 2010, before blowing his chances with an 80 the next day. And yet, he fought back with rounds of 69 and 68 to finish third.
The goal also makes sense because McIlroy is very aware of the history associated with the game, and the significance of winning an Open title at the Home of Golf will not be lost on him.
Eight wins worldwide: One of his unfulfilled goals from 2014 was to win six tournaments across the globe. So, it seems like a good idea to put it again in the list, but I am sure his expectations would have soared after last season.
McIlroy mentioned he was aiming for just one major win in 2014, and he did not mind any one of the four. I think he’d be more specific this year, aim for two majors, and would like them to be the Masters and the Open Championship.
Win the FedEx Cup: Apart from winning the Masters, the only achievement missing from his CV is the FedEx Cup. He has twice come so close, but got beaten more by the mathematics that govern the system than anything else.
Keep No.1 ranking at the end of the year: Seems like a gimme to be on the list, simply because it is concrete proof of him being the best player for the whole year.
Focus on ‘process’ and ‘spot’: The two words that have helped him make the stunning turnaround in his form last year. Concentrating on them before each shot has helped him get rid of every other distraction in his life. Why change the winning formula now?
Buy his own jet: The only non-golf related item on the list. But surely that’s on McIlroy’s mind because he did drop a hint yesterday that it would be great if he doesn’t have to write on boarding passes for long.
