Masters 2011: How Rory McIlroy can bounce back from his Augusta nightmare

Press/Media: Expert Comment

Description

Article featured in The Guardian newspaper, 12/4/11.

Subject

Sports psychologist Louise Ellis on McIlroy's meltdown and what he can do to avoid it in the future.

Period12 Apr 2011

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • Title Masters 2011: How Rory McIlroy can bounce back from his Augusta nightmare
    Degree of recognitionNational
    Media name/outletThe Guardian
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date12/04/11
    DescriptionWhat caused McIlroy's meltdown?
    1. Mental exhaustion

    To lead the tournament required a lot of concentration and mental strength. It's mentally draining to lead a Masters for three and a half days, and his focus may have changed slightly.

    2. Mental anxiety turned physical

    There's anxiety of the mind – things like worrying about what other people are doing on the leaderboard, the fact that a couple of putts weren't dropping. That can trigger anxiety of the body which can cause muscular tension and shallow breathing, which can, of course, affect the swing mechanics.
    Producer/AuthorLouise Ellis
    URLhttps://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/apr/12/masters-2011-rory-mcilroy-bounce-back
    PersonsLouise Ellis