The haunting Masters meltdown that changed Rory McIlroy’s career | CNN

The article discusses the career of Rory McIlroy, a professional golfer who has won four major championships and is widely regarded as one of the best golfers in the world. The article highlights McIlroy's struggles with mental toughness and his tendency to "unravel" under pressure, particularly at majors.

In 2011, McIlroy led the Masters by nine strokes with nine holes to play, but collapsed and finished third. This collapse was seen as a defining moment of McIlroy's career, and it had a lasting impact on his psyche.

Despite this setback, McIlroy went on to win several major championships, including the US Open in 2011 and the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014. He also won the Open Championship in 2014, which was seen as a crowning achievement after his struggles at Augusta National.

However, despite his success in other majors, McIlroy has struggled to win The Masters, which is widely regarded as the most prestigious major championship. He has finished in the top five of the tournament seven times, but has yet to claim the green jacket.

The article suggests that McIlroy's struggles at Augusta National may be due to his inability to handle pressure and mental toughness under fire. Despite this, McIlroy remains one of the best golfers in the world, and his ability to bounce back from setbacks and perform well when it matters most is a testament to his enduring talent.

In an interview with the BBC in 2015, McIlroy referred to his collapse at the Masters as "the most important day" of his career. He said that he had learned from the experience and was determined to become a better golfer.

The article concludes by noting that time is still on McIlroy's side, despite his struggles with The Masters. At 33 years old, McIlroy has eight years of major championships left in him, and it remains to be seen whether he can finally claim the green jacket that has eluded him for so long.

The article highlights several key points about McIlroy's career:

* His collapse at the 2011 Masters was a defining moment of his career
* Despite struggles with mental toughness, McIlroy has won several major championships
* McIlroy's inability to win The Masters is one of the few remaining questions mark in his career
* Time is still on McIlroy's side, despite his struggles with The Masters
* McIlroy's ability to bounce back from setbacks and perform well when it matters most is a testament to his enduring talent.

I think Rory McIlroy's struggles at the Masters are really interesting... He's had some amazing wins in majors, but that one hole he collapsed on in 2011 has stuck with him ever since. I mean, can you imagine being just nine strokes ahead of the competition and then completely falling apart? It's like his mind just went blank or something .

It's cool to see how he's bounced back from that set back though - he's still one of the best golfers in the world! And 33 isn't old for a pro athlete, so I think there's definitely hope for him yet. Maybe we'll see him win his first Masters title soon? Fingers crossed!

Rory McIlroy's story is actually pretty inspiring , you know? He's not the first golfer to struggle under pressure, but he's definitely one of the best who has ever bounced back from those tough moments . I think it's amazing that he's still able to perform at such a high level despite his struggles with mental toughness – it just goes to show that he's got some serious mental game . And yeah, winning The Masters would be the icing on the cake for him, but eight years isn't too much time to worry about, right? At 33, he's still got plenty of fire in the belly .

I'm not sure if Rory's gonna make it happen at the Masters lol he's still got 8 years of major championships left on him, which is plenty of time, but we all know how golf is - one bad round and you're outta contention his struggles with mental toughness are real, and it's been a problem for him in majors, especially at Augusta National still, he's proven himself time and time again on the biggest stage, so I wouldn't count him out just yet .

You know what I think about Rory McIlroy's story? It's like life itself, right? We all have those moments where we feel like we're on top of the world, but then suddenly we stumble and everything falls apart. For McIlroy, it was that Masters collapse in 2011 - a tough pill to swallow, I'm sure. But here's the thing: he didn't let that define him. He learned from it, just like how we should learn from our own setbacks.

And look at him now! Eight years of major championships left in his prime? That's still got time on his side, and it shows that with determination and perseverance, we can overcome even the toughest challenges. So let this be a lesson to us all: life is full of ups and downs, but it's how we respond to those setbacks that truly matters.

I'm telling you, something fishy is going on with Rory McIlroy's career... like, have you noticed how he always seems to choke at the Masters? It's like the universe is playing a trick on him or something. And that collapse in 2011 was just the beginning. I mean, what if he wasn't really cut out for major championships? What if it's all just some clever marketing ploy to keep the golfing world hooked?

And don't even get me started on his age... 33 years old and still struggling to win the Masters? That's like a conspiracy right there. Something must be at play, man... I mean, he's still got eight major championships left in him, but what if that's just a calculated attempt to distract us from something bigger?

I'm not saying McIlroy is faking it or anything (although, let's be real, he does seem like the type), but I do think there's more to his story than meets the eye. Maybe it's time we start digging deeper into the world of golf and see if we can uncover any hidden agendas...

I don't usually comment but I think Rory McIlroy has been unfairly judged by fans and critics alike . His collapse at the 2011 Masters was definitely a low point, but it's not like he's never handled pressure before. He won the US Open that same year and had some great wins in the PGA Championship too . And let's be real, winning four majors is no joke! I think McIlroy's mental toughness is being taken out of context - he's shown time and time again that he can bounce back from tough situations and perform under pressure. Yeah, it'd be great if he won The Masters one day, but I don't think it defines his entire career He's still one of the best golfers in the world at 33, so I'm keeping an eye on him to see what he can do next .

Another golfer bites the dust . Rory McIlroy's career is like a rollercoaster - all ups and downs, but mostly down . He's won major championships, don't get me wrong, but that one Masters win has got to be like nails on a chalkboard for him . And it's not just The Masters, he's struggled with mental toughness in other majors too. 33 and still waiting for that green jacket? Yeah, right... like time is really on his side . He's been saying all the right things about bouncing back from setbacks, but we'll see how long that lasts .

33 is pretty old for a pro golfer, think about all the injuries he might get now... still gotta believe in him tho 4 majors isn't bad, but The Masters is like the ultimate goal ️ gotta see what the next few years bring

so i think its kinda cool how rory mcilroy has been able to bounce back from that major collapse at the 2011 masters, like he's shown mental toughness over the years especially when its mattered most . but the thing is, those mental struggles do come up again and hes still stuck with not winning the masters . i feel bad for him cuz he's still got a lot of time to make it happen. eight more majors left for him at 33? that's like a decent chunk of his career so yeah, gotta see what happens from here

Rory McIlroy is such an amazing golfer! He's been through so much and still manages to come out on top . I mean, who else can say they've won four major championships? His mental game is super important, tho . One bad round can ruin a tournament, you know? But he's always bounces back like a pro!

I feel for him, though . The Masters is like, the ultimate goal for any golfer . It's hard to imagine anyone not wanting that green jacket . Maybe he just needs a little more practice under pressure? Or maybe it'll all come together eventually?

so Rory McIlroy's career is kinda weird right? he's had like 4 major wins but still can't get that one green jacket at the Masters. i think it's cool how he's still on top even with all these struggles. mental toughness is def a thing that golfers need to work on and it sounds like Rory's not perfect with that. his 2011 collapse was a big deal and it's interesting that he says it was the most important day of his career - maybe it was a wake-up call for him? at 33, he's still got time to make it happen but it's def gonna be tough if he can't get that win soon.

im just thinking Rory Mcilroy is like that one golfer who just cant seem to get that last major under control . he's had some great wins, but the masters has always been like, his kryptonite . i mean, 33 and still no green jacket? thats a shame, cuz the guy is still ballin' on the course ️. maybe time will be kind to him, but till then, its gonna be interesting to see how he handles those pressure situations

I feel bad for Rory McIlroy, you know? He's had some epic wins in golf, but that one collapse at the 2011 Masters still gives me chills . I think he's been really brave about talking about it too, admitting that it was a tough day and learning from it. The thing is, everyone has bad days on the course, even the best of them. It's how you bounce back that matters . And McIlroy has done that time and time again. I still think he'll get that green jacket one of these days . He's only 33, so yeah, time is on his side... let's hope it comes soon!

Rory McIlroy's career is really interesting . I think what's holding him back from winning the Masters is his mental game . He has so much talent, but he just can't seem to get over that one hurdle. The 2011 collapse was a major setback, and it's had a lasting impact on him. But you know, he's still one of the best golfers out there . His ability to bounce back from setbacks is pretty impressive. And let's be real, he's only getting older (32 is still young in golf years ). He's got 8 more years of major championships left in him, so it's not like time is running out just yet . I think what McIlroy needs to work on now is his mental preparation for The Masters. Maybe he can find a way to overcome those pressure issues and finally get that green jacket .

I think this whole thing is like politics - once you've got momentum, you can't seem to hold onto it. Rory McIlroy had that 9-shot lead at the Masters in 2011 and then just... implodes. It's like he was saying, "You know what? I've got this one in the bag." But of course, we all know how that plays out. Meanwhile, his opponents are over here like, "Wait, no you don't!" And now, 8 years later, he's still trying to figure it out. I mean, is it just a case of nerves? Or is there something deeper going on? Either way, it's like the old saying goes: "You can't win 'em all" - even McIlroy has to deal with reality check-ups.

Rory needs the Master's more than ever now! 33 isn't old for golf, let him have one