I’ve been watching the golf from America – goodness me, it’s brilliant! But it also makes me reflect on the latest “Rory” controversy and what it can tell us about ourselves.
Here’s the thing. Throwing your clubs around, vandalising a tee box, boycotting the media − which is really disappointing as his press conferences always reveal a really genuine, open, hinterland-rich guy − isn’t good. You wince at such poor behaviour, and I get that you’d never see Nicklaus or Watson do this. Although Tiger Woods, hero to me that he is, had some moments that I’d argue were even worse. But I hope it’s possible to call all of that out and at the same time, without condoning it, provide some context. Life is complicated.
Doing a “Rory”
Firstly, the game of golf drives you crazy and Oakmont is an unbelievable, insanely difficult course. Golf is hard. Even, maybe especially, for the very best in the world. I’ve done a “Rory” a few, acutually many times in my life, both on and off the course. I can tell you, it feels good for a nanosecond, and bad for months. I blush even thinking about it.
Very few of us who have played any sport at any level for any length of time and have an unblemished record of behaviour. And of course, our transgressions have never been recorded on camera and shared all over the world. It also sounds like Rory is ‘pissed off’ that all the guys were caught up in a very minor golf club controversy − yet it was his name that was released to the media − and not that of his great rival Scottie Scheffler.
Conquering and still needing the demons
There’s also the whole thing about the career grand slam. There’s a narrative that having ‘conquered the demon’ of not having completed a career goal he’ll kick on, freewheel to a ton of more majors. But what if you need the demons to drive you? What do you do after climbing Everest? You could try it again without oxygen I suppose, but Tiger and Jack apart, who would really fancy that? But maybe the club throwing and swearing suggests that, actually, he’s thinking − yeah, “we go again”, as Ange Postecoglou liked to say when he was at Celtic.
Talking of Ange, I once saw an interview where he was asked about getting abuse from a fan during a game. I’m paraphrasing, but he said something like: “mate, I’m going to cut him some slack. He could be having a bad time at work. How does anyone know what’s going on in anyone’s life? Give him a break.”
Navigating the ultimate round of life
That’s surely true, whether you’re Rory McIlroy or a punter from Stranraer, who’s simply trying to put a decent score together or, trying to navigate that other ultimate round we call life itself.
Folk online are calling Rory all sorts of things: Prima Donna, terrible role model, awful human being. Bulls*t. Honestly, get over yourself, as they say in yet man’s home country of Northern Ireland − “Never judge someone until you walk in their shoes”.
Robert Burns, in his address to the Unco Guid, nails it as firmly as a Rory McIlroy drive at his imperious best:
“Then at the moment let’s be mute / we never can adjust it / What’s done we may compute / but know not what’s resisted.”
Be kind. Be empathetic. Be human.
He’s right. Because we are all Rory McIlroy.
And because it’s later than we think.
More in society.
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