“I felt so low, and so s**t” - Rory McIlroy opens up on his ‘rock bottom’ moment 

Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy is easily one of the best and most successful golfers in the circuit today. He started at a young age and has gone on to be an inspiration for millions.

McIlroy's journey is nothing short of a film. Even with his illustrious legacy, Rory McIlroy suffered through a rough patch in his career. Things turned for the worse at the 2021 Ryder Cup. His confidence took a hit, and he felt he had hit rock bottom.

Last September, McIlroy lost his Friday morning foursomes match and his afternoon fourball match at the Ryder Cup. His dismal performance resulted in him being benched the next day for the first time in his Ryder Cup career.

According to Golf.com, Rory McIlroy said that although he was relieved, he didn't have to play the next day, he felt "deflated" because he had let his team down.

"I was relieved I didn’t have to go back out and lose another match, but I was also deflated. When you’re playing a normal tournament and don’t play well that’s fine, it’s on you. But when you’re on a team and letting other people down it’s a different thing altogether."

He told Sunday Independent interview that his confidence had reached "rock bottom." However, he got the chance to redeem himself when he went first for the European team on the final day. He used the opportunity well as he beat Xander Schauffele 3 and 2.

According to Golf.com, Rory McIlroy added that he didn't want to see golf again until 2022.

"I felt so low, and so s**t, and by Saturday night I was done. I didn’t want to see golf again until 2022. Then Pádraig told me he was sending me out (in the singles) at number one."

But as the famous saying goes, the comeback is always stronger than the setback. A year after a disastrous Ryder Cup, McIlroy reached the World No. 1 spot in 2022. And the golfer believes that the fateful Sunday in the Ryder Cup was pivotal in his journey to regain the World No. 1 spot.

"Yeah, I really think that Sunday at the Ryder Cup was instrumental in getting back to world number one and doing the things I’ve done this year."

He also said that everyone asks him why he doesn't act like the best golfer in the world.

"Everyone says you’re the most talented golfer in the world. Why don’t you start acting like it?"

Certainly, Rory McIlroy's redemption story is one for the history books. He managed to turn his entire game around in a year. He battled against his bad patches, made the necessary improvements, and returned stronger.

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"The trick is to leave a few breadcrumbs on the way so you can find your way back" - Rory McIlroy on his attempt at chasing longer distances

Rory McIlroy at the DP World Tour Championship - Day Three (Image via Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Experimenting is an essential aspect of sports. It not only aids an athlete's growth but also gives them a chance to try new things.

US golfer Bryson DeChambeau is known for experimenting with golf. Recently, he began to try a distance-fuelled regime. He focussed on his long drives, which proved effective as these new methods helped him win the 2020 US Open. He even participated in the 2022 World Long Drive Championship and finished runners-up to Martin Borgmeier.

However, sometimes these experiments backfire, and athletes must learn from their mistakes and move on.

Something like this happened in the case of Rory McIlroy. Inspired by DeChambeau, even Rory McIlroy tried chasing longer distances. However, this method did not work for him.

He said:

"Yeah, it was just a bit of speed. The thing about golf is that you’re never going to stay on the same path the whole way — you’re going to veer off on these different little roads — but the trick is to leave a few breadcrumbs on the way so you can find your way back."

Although McIlroy could see his speed improve and felt good about himself, he thought the new practice negatively impacted his swing.

"And maybe I went a little too far down that path, but you start to see progress and these speeds you’ve never had before, and you start to hit it by your playing partners by 30 and 40 yards, and you start feeling good about yourself. What you don’t realize is that your swing is deteriorating."

Well, what works for one may not work for another. What worked for DeChambeau certainly didn't work for McIlroy. But the important thing is to realize what is not working and make amends, which McIlroy indeed did.