Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy speaks at a news conference during a practice day for the 2013 WGC-Cadillac Championship PGA golf tournament in Doral, Florida March 6, 2013. (REUTERS)
In a span of five days, Rory McIlroy learned a huge lesson on what it’s like to be a young man, the best golfer in the world and an international superstar.
Ever since his temper-tantrum-turned-toothache on Friday, the world of golf, and beyond, has been speculating about just what happened to the good-natured kid with a god-given talent on the course and around the media.
Maybe the new clubs weren’t working.
Maybe there was a mental breakdown.
Maybe his relationship with tennis superstar Caroline Wozniaki was on the rocks.
Maybe his dental coverage wasn’t paid up.
What’s clear, and what seemed clear from the get-go, is that the kid had a bad day.
Sure, he shouldn’t have slammed his club in disgust and walked off. Sure, his story may not have passed the smell-test, but the mop-topped chap from Northern Ireland did what he should have on Wednesday.
