Following the summer of Scheffler, it would be easy to forget just how impressive Rory McIlroy was in the opening months of 2025 as he set the stage for his dramatic Masters victory.
Rory McIlroy appeared to be destined to never win a fifth major title after what transpired at the US Open last year. Of course, a heartbroken McIlroy left Pinehurst immediately after Bryson DeChambeau holed the winning putt.
But the Northern Irishman did come back stronger. And it appeared that the key moment came when the 36-year-old decided to lock himself away for a number of weeks and work only with a simulator.
McIlroy appeared to add an ability to manipulate shots to his game. It came after years of struggling with his approach and wedge game. And that set the stage for victories at Pebble Beach, The Players Championship, and then, of course, Augusta National.
Rory McIlroy suggests the pretty easy way for all golfers to knock shots off their scores
The work McIlroy did highlighted how even the very best players in the world never feel fully satisfied with their games.
Every golfer is looking to improve; whether they are Rory McIlroy battling to win on the PGA Tour or an amateur hacking their way to try and break 100.
And once speaking on the icanflypod, McIlroy offered his best piece of advice to every golfer looking to get better.
“This is a really boring answer, but just playing within yourself. Even I have to follow that advice sometimes. I’ll hit it in the trees and be like, oh no, I can do this, and then Harry will be like, ‘no, just chip it out’,” he said.
“Playing within yourself, not taking on too much. Really getting to know your tendencies, do you miss it right? Do you miss it left? Do you usually come up short? Do you usually go long? Those sorts of things, and playing away from the weakest parts of your game I think is a pretty easy way to take strokes off your handicap and improve.
“That’s not just amateurs, that’s everyone. And it’s hard, and it’s something that I have to constantly remind myself of. Just play within yourself, don’t take on too much. You don’t have to be perfect to play good golf.”
The change Harry Diamond was urging Rory McIlroy to make for several years
It is interesting that McIlroy mentioned his caddie Harry Diamond encouraging him to generally take his medicine.
Diamond has come in for a lot of criticism over the last couple of years, despite many of us having little idea of the conversations which take place between the two.
And Diamond was seemingly keen for McIlroy to develop that variety within his shotmaking. Speaking earlier this year, Mark Immelman noted that Diamond was delighted that McIlroy had learned those new skills.
“I saw he and Harry ahead of the final round at the Genesis Invitational, Tiger’s event, and I’m on the range chatting with them, and so I said to Rory, ‘so, how’s it going?’ And he goes, ‘it’s against my natural impulse’, this is hitting the soft shot, and a non-aggressive shot, more onto the safe side of the flag a la Scottie. And he goes, ‘it’s against my natural impulse, but I’m sticking to it’,” he said.
“I laughed and I looked at Harry and I’m like, ‘how long have you been asking him to do this?’ And he goes, ‘probably the last 10 years’, and we all laughed about it. I’m like ‘well, long may this continue’.”
McIlroy has had an incredibly turbulent year. But it is perhaps no surprise that he did finally complete the Career Grand Slam after adding even more strings to his bow.
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