Rory McIlroy’s infamous meltdown at the 2011 Masters is still a topic of conversation among golf fans. And it seems like some people just can’t resist bringing it up. During a practice round at the 2025 PLAYERS Championship, McIlroy hit his tee shot into the water on the 18th hole which unexpectedly led a young golfer named Luke Potter to make a comment that was probably meant as a joke: “Just like the 2011 Masters.” Ouch!
Now you would think that McIlroy, being the big name he is, may have let it slide, right? No! The golfer didn’t take it lightly. He approached Potter, asked for his phone, and then just took it. Yes, we are not making this up, it really was a weird moment.
The whole thing has sparked a lively debate, with many people criticizing McIlroy’s reaction as an over-the-top response to a harmless comment and well, can we blame them? On the No Laying Up podcast, the hosts discussed the incident, calling it “lame” and suggesting that McIlroy should have just ignored the comment. McIlroy’s refusal to speak to reporters about the incident has only added fuel to the fire, with many people sensing a “me against the world” vibe from the golfer.
Another thing worth noting is that McIlroy has been a dominant force in golf for years and his fans have come to expect a certain level of excellence and sportsmanship from him. And well, rightly so! But it seems like his recent behavior may have contributed to just the opposite. According to an insider, McIlroy became the target of jokes among the crowd during the PLAYERS Championship, with his playing partners Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele seemingly receiving more attention and love from the fans.
Even McIlroy’s impressive birdie on the 18th hole was met with surprisingly muted applause. “I’ve watched a lot of Rory golf in person, and I would say legitimately like muted applause for Rory for a birdie on 18 while making a run near the top of the leaderboard,” the insider revealed on the latest episode of No Laying Up on YouTube. When discussing the differences between McIlroy and his playing partners, the insider observed, “He just likes to immediately see the difference and like hear the difference and feel the difference in all of their games… was just jarring just to actually see in person.”
February 2, 2025, Pebble Beach, Ca, USA: Rory McIlroy during the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am 2025 at Pebble Beach Golf Links on February 02, 2025 in Pebble Beach, California. Photo: Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE Pebble Beach USA – ZUMAi237 20250202_zsa_i237_203 Copyright: xFlanigan/Imagespacex
Fans believe it’s clear that something’s off with McIlroy right now. Whether it’s his behavior or his game, it’s hard to say. But here’s the ironic part, just recently McIlroy has himself revealed his secrets to avoid the mental effects of bad shots.
Rory McIlroy advises to ‘visualize and focus’ after a bad shot
Currently, nine under par for the tournament and just two shots behind the leaders, McIlroy is focused on his own game – and it’s paying off. So, how does he deal with bad shots on the course? McIlroy’s approach is surprisingly straightforward. “Not really,” he says when asked if he has any tricks for forgetting bad shots. “I don’t think there’s a way to forget them. I mean, I guess just try to visualize and focus on what you want to do instead of thinking about what you don’t want to do or what you’ve done before.” It’s all about shifting his focus to the present moment and what he can control.
This mindset has served McIlroy right, especially when playing with top-ranked golfers like Scottie Scheffler. You might expect him to feel intimidated or motivated to become the world’s top-ranked golfer again, but McIlroy takes a different approach. “Yeah, not really,” he says when asked if playing with Scheffler motivates him. “I think all of us were just trying to put our heads down and put ourselves in position to go into the weekend.” For McIlroy, it’s all about staying focused on his own game and letting his results speak for themselves.
So, can McIlroy’s winning mindset help him clinch another victory in the 2025 season? His recent win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am suggests that he’s got the momentum and the mental toughness to take on the best golfers in the world. So, can he do the same again? We’ll have to wait and see!
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