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Right now there is no real noise just a buzz, the sight too is a bit blurred, eyes looking but not seeing, the swing feels too fast and the thoughts are unclear and very muddled. The sense of loneliness immense and the feeling of desperation growing as the game that one loves now looks like an activity superfluous to current needs. Indeed, if possible a break from the snapping cameras, glaring public galleries and the ever inquisitive press seems like just the antidote to a dreadful few weeks of hours on golf courses. More concerning, a disastrous two days at Muirfield for the Open Championship has just ended in more ignominy. All feelings that has in its time affected Sir Nick Faldo, and in the most recent of days, the Holywood, County Down golfer, Rory McIlroy.
Funny how in the end three strokes separated the two players when Friday’s second round was completed in Gullane, Scotland. Faldo then resuming his media duties and McIlroy making a quiet getaway to the clutches of those closest to him.
In what was no doubt meant as helpful words from the six time major winner, they regretfully failed to hit the spot as the now uber-sensitive McIlroy flinches every time he receives unsolicited advice from those within the game. And indeed those outside the game.
In fact a surplus of advice now flows all over the place as he battles a phase in his game which comes to all the greatest. And a reality that he needs to accept, rather than fight, as the harder he tries the worser it will get. The tips from Faldo probably more heartfelt than the golfing world realises, having lived through a number of torrid moments himself during his career, after rebuilding his swing with David Leadbetter, reshaping his body in the early nineties in the search for more power, and a myriad of personal life events that would have tested the meeker amongst us.
Perhaps Faldo’s delivery platform was not the best and the megaphone not the subtlest of ways either. But so be it. Subtlety was never one of the Weston Super Mare golfer’s most notable strengths. However winning was something he knew a lot about, and chasing majors in particular. But then the English man has been a follower of McIlroy since the earliest of days and saw him training at his golf academy. So more than most of the newest hangers on, Nick Faldo is in a better position to comment in Rory woes. Even if in the end McIlroy chose to work with Chubby Chandler at ISM when he turned professional and joined the same stable as Darren Clarke.
Since those days he left ISM after the US Open win in 2011 to join and already leave Horizon Sports.
All within a relatively short period of time. Yet enough time though to gather two major titles and challenge for a few more, with the latest win coming last year at Kiawah Island at the PGA Championship. A victory which triggered and incredible end to the PGA Tour season that was both trophy laden and financially lucrative. Landing him also as the world Number one at the end of 2012 - all at 23 years of age. Along with a Ryder Cup win at Medinah in the September.
A dream come true for the young man no doubt..
But as with all such fairy stories there are also some bad bits, which for Rory appear to have coincided - in an untimely way - with the eye watering sponsorship deal with sports frim Nike. Making many observers add one and one to get three, as the clubs themselves could hardly be the sole problem. Or could they?
Again like it or not, Sir Nick Faldo was the most vociferous on the subject when the agreement was made at the end of last year, and very publicly launched in Dubai at the start if the gulf swing in April. A prediction that again drew scowls from the McIlroy team who explained that it would offer no such challenge. Despite the fact that former stable mate Graeme McDowell didn’t win a dickey bird nigh on two years after Horizon agreed his switch to Srixon - following his US Open win at Pebble Beach in 2010.
It was in November 2012 when Faldo said “The bottom line is he’s doing it for money,”
“When he looks at a 20-year career it’s not necessary. If he carries on and wins more majors he’ll be worth hundreds of millions anyway. Sure this is a wonderful guarantee but Rory knows the biggest thing is winning golf tournaments. If he believes that’s still going to happen, fine. But if it holds him back for a split second in his mind then you will question it.”
The words of experience and life learning were at work as Faldo changed clubs himself on his way to winning six majors and was well placed to outline the dangers.
“As professional golfers we get a millisecond of feedback from impact,” he said. “And if you get that lovely feedback and the ball goes where you want it, that’s a tick in the confidence box. But if you think ‘oh, that felt different’ and the ball doesn’t go where you want it to go, it starts to eat away at your confidence.”
In response McIlroy claimed that the switch would not derail his progress and admitted having tested new clubs.
“I’ve tinkered about enough to feel comfortable going into next season,” said McIlroy, while refusing to confirm he will join Nike. “I think all of the manufacturers make great equipment nowadays and it’s all very, very similar. I mean, a lot of the manufacturers get their clubs made at the same factories as each other. I don’t think it will make a difference at all.”
For Faldo though it was a naive view. “No two clubs are the same at our level,” said Faldo. “Technically, the clubs can be exactly the same; same heads, same shaft, as good as you can get, but the two sets will be different, even if it’s just sound.
“At the moment Rory is using equipment he trusts and he doesn’t think when swinging. If he makes the transition and still doesn’t think about it, then fine. But I’m just saying there’s a possibility he will think about it and that’s when confidence comes into it. It’s minute; but playing the game with the feel he does he might start asking the question, ‘Oh, that wasn’t me’. And as soon as you start asking that it might not happen.”
“I think Rory’s wonderful for the game,” he said. “But if I could impart some wisdom I would say, ‘What’s the rush?’
"I’m surprised he’s going to Nike. Tiger has made that his brand and to join someone else’s brand really surprises me as I thought he would stick to his own thing.
“Rory could easily start ‘The Rory Brand’ and build his own identity. He’s that popular he doesn’t need to be a Nike guy, or adidas guy or whatever. When you’re 23 and world No 1 what a great time to build ‘The Rory Brand’ – a true brand, not somebody else’s.
"He could have put the clubs in the bag he likes, had his own clothing line, some huge backers and then just gone and played golf. He’d still earn fortunes from prize money and appearance fees, regardless. That’d be £20 million a year easily. Nothing has to be done in a mad of rush.”
“Winning, trying to be the best player that I can be, trying to win majors – that’s the real goal for me,” he said.
Faldo believes he will break his own record as leading European major-winner in the next six years. “On paper, of course he will,” said Faldo. “Rory has everything. He just needs to carry on making sure he does more things right than wrong.”
To be fair Faldo was not wrong in 2012. Nor was he wrong last week. There could be worse places for Rory to seek recourse if he was courage to eat humble pie to start all over again. To be fair continuing doing what he is doing is not a fix. Dismissing his management team has solved nothing. Firing a caddie will do little more. And escaping through side doors of major golf clubs to avoid the press is a basic mistake too.
In fact the opposite should be the case, given he has chosen to live his personal life so publicly, relying on Twitter to express himself at many times. Ill-advisedly it has to be said. Happy too to coin the phrase Wozzilroy in reference to his relationship with WTA star Carline Wozniacki.
Now though it’s time in the face of adversity - after years of things juts falling into plan - that McIlroy does what all golfers do, continue playing through the rough, and do what all people faced with difficulties and problems have to do. Get on with it and fight your demons.
In truth he can listen to who you wishes, retaliate if it makes sense to him and work through this pain until the touch and the feel comes back. But most importantly of all don’t surround yourself with yes men or women. It’s time to find someone who will push you. And push you hard if yu have lost the hunger.
Just ask Jack and Tiger if you want to win Majors..
Or better still, ask Andy Murray how much fun it was to work with Ivan Lendl every day. Not a laugh to be had one imagines. Yet two a year or so on two major trophies now sit on the mantelpiece, with one of them a Wimbledon title that has evaded every British tennis player since Fred Perry 73 years ago.
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