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Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy Quotes

Golfer

Rory McIlroy, born on May 4, 1989, is an Irish professional golfer renowned for his exceptional talent and mental toughness. He has shown remarkable skills since his youth, achieving significant success in international junior golf tournaments. As an adult, McIlroy quickly rose to the top of the professional golfing world. As of 2023, he has won four major championships (2011 U.S. Open, 2012 British Open, 2014 U.S. Open, and 2019 British Open) and has led various world rankings and money lists.

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All Golf Knows Want People Feels Ifs Play Sports Thinking Way

Famous Rory McIlroy Quotes

“The fact is, I've always felt more British than Irish. Maybe it was the way I was brought up, I don't know, but I have always felt more of a connection with the U.K. than with Ireland.”

Knows Way Facts Felt Connections British Ireland

Author:Rory McIlroy

“As an international sportsman, I am very lucky to be supported by people all over the world, many of who treat me as one of their own, no matter what their nationality, or indeed mine. This is the way sport should be.”

People World Way Should Matter Sports Mines Lucky Treats No Matter What International Nationality Sportsman

Author:Rory McIlroy

“Home will always be Northern Ireland but my schedule means for the next few years I won't be there as much. I can't do the same things that I did a year ago. That is I'm something conscious of, but I'm not sad about it. It's fine.”

Years Mean I Can Home Next Fine Conscious Years Ago Ireland Schedules Northern Ireland

Author:Rory McIlroy

“How can I intimidate Tiger Woods? I mean, the guy's got 75 or whatever PGA Tour wins, 14 majors. He's been the biggest thing ever in our sport. How could some little 23-year-old from Northern Ireland with a few wins come up and intimidate him.”

Years Mean Littles Guy Winning Sports Majors Come Up Woods Ireland Tigers Intimidating Northern Ireland

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I always got very excited about the Masters as a kid. I could hardly wait until the Wednesday when you'd get the BBC's preview. And I'd then be glued to the screen until Sunday night.”

Kids Night Waiting Masters Excited Screens Sunday Wednesday Preview Sunday Night

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I mean I don't want to feel inferior to any other golfer in the world. You know if you do that, then you know you're giving them an advantage, you know, right off the - you know, right from the start.”

Ifs Knows World Want Giving Feels Mean Advantage Inferiors Golfers

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I realise that every time my face is on TV or I'm playing in a tournament, that I am a role model for a lot of people and a lot of kids do look up to me. I try to do my best in that regard and put myself across as honestly and as modestly as possible, as well.”

People Trying Wells Looks Kids Faces Roles Tvs Models Regard Honestly Look Up Realising Role Models Tournaments

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I really enjoy playing 'Tiger Woods' on the Wii, and you can set the levels to easy, medium, or hard, so I think it's definitely a good way for kids to learn the motion of a golf swing if they want to get into the sport. It makes it more fun for them as well.”

Ifs Thinking Way Want Wells Hard Kids Fun Easy Sports Enjoy Levels Golf Woods Mediums Swings Tigers Good Way Golf Swing Wii

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I receive huge support from Irish and British sports fans alike and it is greatly appreciated. Likewise I feel I have a great affinity with the American sports fans. I play most of my golf in the U.S. nowadays and I am incredibly proud to have won the U.S. Open and U.S. PGA Championship in the last two years.”

Feels Years Two Play Lasts Sports Support Fans Huge Proud Golf British Two Years Championship Appreciated Affinity Sports Fan

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I used to not really like going to the gym when I was playing tournaments because I'd be sore and stiff. But the more you keep doing it, the less soreness you have. And you actually start to enjoy it.”

Used Enjoy Gym Tournaments Soreness

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I've always said the players don't build up rivalries themselves, people from the outside build up the rivalries. I just want to play good golf. I want to try and keep winning golf tournaments.”

People Want Trying Said Play Winning Player Golf Tournaments Rivalry Good Golf Golf Tournaments

Author:Rory McIlroy

“If I'm playing in the morning, I'll get some carbs early: porridge with chopped banana. If I'm playing in the afternoon, I'll start with less carbs and have some eggs and fruit for breakfast, then a light lunch about 90 minutes before I play, so I don't feel sluggish or full.”

Ifs Feels Play Light Morning Minutes Fruit Eggs Breakfast Lunch Afternoon Bananas Sluggish Carbs Porridge

Author:Rory McIlroy

“If somebody asks me whether I'd rather sink the winning putt in the Ryder Cup or win a major, it's the major every day. World championship or Ryder Cup? Win a world championship. At the end of the day you're going to be remembered for what you achieve in an individual sport.”

Ifs World Ends Asks Winning Individual Sports Achieve Majors Cups Ask Me Remembered The End Of The Day Championship

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I've come across enough successful people now to know that the best in whatever walk of life, they're the ones who just work the hardest. I realized that if I want to be the best and fulfill my potential, I'm going to have to do the same thing. And for those who are lucky enough to be born with a gift and then choose to work the hardest-I mean, that's the combination.”

People Ifs Knows Want Mean Enough Born Walks Successful Lucky I Realized Hardest Combination Being The Best Successful People Walks Of Life

Author:Rory McIlroy

“Everything is firing on all cylinders for me.”

Firing Cylinders

Author:Rory McIlroy

“You get thrown off balance out there. And I never recovered. Well, I haven't recovered yet.”

Wells Havens Failure Balance Thrown

Author:Rory McIlroy

“My parent are very proud, but Dad ripped into me for throwing a club on the 11th. He's happy with the way I played, but he always has to have something to moan about!”

Way Parent Proud Dad Clubs Throwing Ripped

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I’m three legs toward completing the career Grand Slam at 25. So, I’m feeling pretty good right now.”

Feelings Three Careers Right Now Legs Slam Completing Feeling Pretty Three Legs

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I was more worried about what other people would think rather than, you know, me. But you have got to do what is right for yourself and what you feel comfortable with.”

People Thinking Knows Feels Comfortable Worried Know Me

Author:Rory McIlroy

“My game wasn't where it should have been at all at the start of the year. I got into a couple of bad habits on my swing, and it just took me a little bit of time to get out of them.”

Should Years Littles Has Beens Games Bits Couple Habit Little Bit Should Have Swings Should Have Been Bad Habits

Author:Rory McIlroy

“This is the great thing about Northern Ireland. I walk down the street and people stop me and say things like, 'I know you. You're that wee golfer, aren't you?' I say, 'Yeah, that's me.' They say, 'Keep it up, wee man.' It's very funny and that's why I want to stay here as long as possible.”

People Knows Men Want Long Walks Streets Yeah Great Things Ireland Golfers Northern Ireland

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I kept telling myself this word, process. Focus on my process, don't care about the result.”

Care Process Results Focus Don't Care

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I'm afraid there are no replays or second chances in amateur or professional golf, and that's the way it should be.”

Way Should Chance Golf Second Chance Replay

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I think there came a time - probably when I was about 13 - when I started to struggle with an increasing volume of schoolwork and the demands from my golfing schedule and aspirations. I'm not sure if the decision to leave school was very clear in my mind then but I did know that in the juggling between the two, my energies were most definitely in the golfing direction.”

Ifs Thinking Knows Mind Two School Energy Decision Struggle Clear Demand Not Sure Aspiration Volume Schedules Golfing Juggling Schoolwork

Author:Rory McIlroy

“Leaving golf aside for the moment, I'd choose Roger Federer as a sporting role model, Muhammad Ali for a sporting and non-sporting role model and Nelson Mandela as a true and lasting inspiration.”

Moments Inspiration Roles Models Golf Leaving Lasting Role Models Muhammad Roger Nelson Federer

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I believe that anybody with Mandela's capacity to endure hardship and then forgive is a born leader and example to us all.”

Believe I Believe Born Leader Example Capacity Forgiving Endure Hardship Born Leaders Mandela S

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I don't really remember, but from about the age of five I told anyone who would listen that I was going to be the best golfer in the world.”

World Age Remember Five Being The Best Golfers

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I started to really believe in myself, and my abilities, when I won the World Under-10 championship in Doral, Florida. I was nine and saw for the first time that I was amongst the best players in the world for my age. This was a massive confidence-builder for me.”

World Firsts Believe Age Ability Saws Player First Time Nine Massive Championship Florida Builder Best Players

Author:Rory McIlroy

“Fitness plays such an important role in my life, and an integral part of my golf structure, that I think I might be quite good at teaching others the benefits of sport and fitness.”

Thinking Important Play Might Sports Roles Teaching Benefits Structure Golf Teaching Others

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I was very excited when I first started to travel so much. In fact, I was amazed that people were paying me to travel to play the game I loved.”

People Firsts Play Facts Games Excited Amazed

Author:Rory McIlroy

“The flight I'm most excited about is the one that takes me back to Northern Ireland to visit family and friends.”

Excited Flight Take Me Ireland Family And Friends Northern Ireland Take Me Back

Author:Rory McIlroy

“In all honesty, I never actually did anything wrong (in my eyes, at least) at school or misbehaved in any big way. If it was anything, it was probably just a lot of clowning around.”

Ifs Way Bigs Eye School Honesty Clowning

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I was detained a couple of times but that was for not handing in homework because I was playing golf or not present because I was playing golf. There was a theme evolving.”

Couple Golf Evolve Theme Homework Playing Golf

Author:Rory McIlroy

“Sport was an obvious favourite of mine, and not only golf. I was, and still am, a big rugby fan.”

Stills Bigs Sports Fans Mines Golf Obvious Favourite Rugby

Author:Rory McIlroy

“It may come as a surprise but I also really started to get into history while I was at school. I found the projects about World War Two fascinating - perhaps when I get the time again, I could pick up where I left off.”

World May Two War School Found Left Projects Picks Surprise War Of The Worlds Fascinating World War Two

Author:Rory McIlroy

“Because I lived so close to the school and walked there every day, I used to enjoy the school bus trips.”

School Used Enjoy Bus School Bus

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I'm sure there was an educational angle to the trips (I think one was to the Ulster Museum) but it was the fun and banter I had with my friends I remember the most.”

Thinking Remember Fun My Friends Educational Museums Angle Banter Ulster

Author:Rory McIlroy

“In a serious sense, wanting to change something from the past doesn't work for me - change something you don't enjoy now rather than regretting it later.”

Past Enjoy Serious Regret

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I want to try to become the best golfer in the world.”

World Want Trying Golfers

Author:Rory McIlroy

“The next time I cry about golf it will only be with joy. It's not worth crying over golf for any other reason. After all, it's only a game.”

Reason Joy Next Games Cry Golf Next Time

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I expect big things from myself but as long as I can keep the commitment and dedication and put the hard work in, I don't see why there's any reason not to handle it OK.”

Long I Can Hard Reason Bigs Sports Effort Psychology Hard Work Commitment Handle Dedication Big Things Sports Psychology

Author:Rory McIlroy

“Going to the gym is great for your body, but it's also great for your mind.”

Mind Body Your Body Gym

Author:Rory McIlroy

“It is never easy to win but it is a lot easier to win when you play well. The key is winning golf tournaments when you are not playing so well. Managing your game is something that I feel that I am still learning to do.”

Feels Wells Stills Play Games Winning Easy Keys Easier Golf Tournaments Golf Tournaments

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I have always said I will try to answer questions honestly. I don't want to change that about myself. I think people appreciate that about me.”

People Thinking Want Trying Said Answers Appreciate Honestly

Author:Rory McIlroy

“With success comes expectation, and I know the expectation on me is going to be pretty high.”

Knows Success Expectations

Author:Rory McIlroy

“Of course, money matters to everyone even if some don't want to admit it. If I won the Race to Dubai, I look at that prize money and think it could pay off my new house or the range I'm building. I am privileged to play golf for a living - look around St Andrews, that's my office.”

Ifs Thinking Want Looks Matter Play Courses House Pay Race Building Office Golf Range Prize Privileged Andrew Dubai Money Matters Prize Money

Author:Rory McIlroy

“I wanted to make a point of basing myself at home, being close to my family. I'll never be able to repay Mum and Dad for what they did, but at least they know they'll never have to work another day. I'll do whatever it takes to look after them.”

Knows Looks Home Able Wanted Dad My Family Mum Another Day Whatever It Takes Mum And Dad

Author:Rory McIlroy

“To be a top-class athlete, you have to train hard, you have to eat right, you have to get enough rest. I feel the way golf is going nowadays, you have to treat yourself as an athlete.”

Way Feels Hard Enough Class Treats Train Golf Athlete Treat Yourself Train Hard

Author:Rory McIlroy

“You know I need that cockiness, the self-belief, arrogance, swagger, whatever you want to call it, I need that on the golf course to bring the best out of myself. So you know once I leave the golf course, you know that all gets left there.”

Knows Want Needs Self Courses Belief Left Golf Leaving Arrogance Believe In Yourself Self Motivation Golf Course Swagger Belief In Self Cockiness

Author:Rory McIlroy

“My dad's a scratch golfer and I've got the knack of seeing something and then replicating it. I saw my dad swing a club and I worked out how to do the same thing. My backswing and follow-through have been basically the same since I was two.”

Has Beens Two Saws Seeing Dad My Dad Clubs Swings Scratches Golfers Knack Follow Through

Author:Rory McIlroy

About the Author

Born: May 4, 1989
Known for: Golfer
Quotes: 58

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