What Roger Federer told Rory McIlroy when asked how he stayed motivated late in his career
· Yahoo Sports
Rory McIlroy spent the majority of his career chasing an elusive Green Jacket, but when it finally rested on his shoulders last year, he didn’t know what to do with himself.
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Once McIlroy had finally won The Masters and completed the Career Grand Slam, he was aloof, unmotivated, and quick to anger. He was frosty toward the media and admitted he lacked motivation now that he had achieved his career goal.
Since then, he appears to have found some purpose. He won the Irish Open and an away Ryder Cup, and says he’s now more focused on creating memories, winning iconic tournaments, and adding to his legacy.
But it took McIlroy months to find those answers, and as one of only six men to have won the career Grand Slam in golf, he didn’t have many people to turn to for advice. Tiger Woods never lacked motivation as he was chasing Jack Nicklaus’ major tally.
So the Northern Irishman turned to a sporting great from another sport, Roger Federer, who continued playing long after he had won all there is to win. McIlroy asked the 20-time Grand Slam winner how he stayed motivated after breaking Pete Sampras’ record.
Photo by Harry How/Getty ImagesHow Roger Federer stayed motivated after breaking Pete Sampras’ Grand Slam record
McIlroy was asked on the Fried Egg YouTube channel what drives him now that he’s won The Masters, and he thought back to a conversation he had with Federer just a few weeks ago.
McIlroy said, “I actually had a chance to have dinner with Roger Federer a few weeks ago, and he framed the question a little differently to me, and it just made me think about it a little bit differently.
“And I was asking him, when he got to a point in his career when he achieved everything he really wanted, what was the motivation to keep going, and his answer was great.
“And it had to do with Pete Sampras, and when he got to 15, which was past Pete’s 14, he’s like, ‘Well, 20 didn’t seem that far away’ So, it’s the same thing for me.
“I probably still have a little bit of imposter syndrome that, wow, this is my life, and this is what I do. But I think as well having a conversation like that with someone that’s done it all. Okay, it’s in a different sport, but he’s lived it. He’s been through it.
“He played the game to a very high level for a very, very long period of time. And just to get his thoughts on how he thought about the last phase of his career, it’s such a wonderful opportunity that I get to do that, and I feel incredibly fortunate that I do get to do it.”
Rory McIlroy’s new goal after completing the Career Grand Slam
McIlroy was in need of a new goal, and the one he came up with was pretty simple. What’s better than completing the Career Grand Slam? Completing it twice!
He said, “I’ve got the five majors. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that I could win every major twice, which would be a really cool thing to win the Grand Slam twice.”
If he achieved this, he’d join Nicklaus and Woods as the only two players to win every major multiple times. That really would be esteemed company, and he’d also jump to at least seventh all-time in major wins with seven to his name.
It seems like McIlroy is looking for ways to continue climbing the pantheon of golfing greats, and this is the best way to achieve this.