It was 22 years ago, for barely three days to play in a Skins event. His only previous trip to India is a blur for Justin Rose. Because of the Covid pandemic, a planned destination 40th birthday celebration had to be called off.
At a media interaction ahead of the $4 million DP World India Championship starting at Delhi Golf Club on Thursday, the former world No.1 spoke of playing “for the memories”. the 13-time winner on the PGA Tour said: “I have been playing well in the last 2-3 years, but haven’t necessarily lifted the trophy.” While acknowledging the depth in elite golf.
The 31-year-old from Wolverhampton is highly regarded for his modesty—he still puts back the covers on his irons, like he did as a boy from modest means to protect the expensive equipment. I can control my own performance and how I break down the golf course and how I play the golf course. You are never going to skip through your career without a mistake at the wrong time. I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of things go my way in the biggest moments. So yeah, just keep trusting that you knock on that door. I know how to compete. I know how to close a tournament. I know how to win. You just got to hope that it all lines up the right week. Aaron Rai is a different story. As he was completing the US PGA Championship victory in May, McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele were all delighted that a nicer guy on the tour could not be joining their club, that of a Major winner. “When it comes to golf and competing and practicing, in my mind being respectful to the game is treating it with the challenge and discipline and hard work that it deserves. “Golf rewards consistency in different parts of the game. Having goals doesn’t mean they are going to come true.
On the Augusta near misses, he said: “I can’t control what happens at Augusta. For the player of Indian origin, being nice and battling it out in a tough sport is about staying humble acknowledging that one’s game “can get better, stagnate or get worse”. One has to stick to a “half step by half step process”, says the world No.16.
