Golf is a game that slowly devours the confidence of a player. If an individual is struggling with self assuredness, the sport will expose that lack of belief. Whether it’s a teenager just learning the game on a local par 3, an aging weekend warrior who’s unsure if he still has the game or a professional with the eyes of the sporting world on him, the game will find weakness. On a gorgeous Sunday afternoon at Augusta National, Rory McIlroy was the latest victim of the cruel game.
The 22 year old from Ireland spent the first three days of The Masters taming the course. His stride was confident and his disposition was relaxed. He looked like he was impervious to the pressure associated with trying to capture his first major championship. McIlroy entered the final round leading by four strokes, which guarantees nothing expect expectations.
On Sunday afternoon, everything unraveled for the young man from Ireland. His smooth stride dissipated into a series of frantic steps as his lead began to evaporate. He looked less like a major champion and more like lost kid trying to find his parents in a crowded mall. While everyone watching may not have been rooting for McIlroy to win the fabled green jacket, surely no one wanted to see the disaster that transpired. Of course, that’s the nature of this game. It can beat down a person’s confidence and leave them upon their knees. McIlroy will probably have more opportunities at a major championship. He’s too young and too talented. There are no sure things in golf. The only certainty is that the game will claim more victims in the future.
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