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Few post-win interviews are as insightful as the one Rory McIlroy gave Golf Channel's Todd Lewis after winning the 2022 CJ Cup and returning to #1 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the ninth time in his career.
Following up on McIlroy's reflections on both the work he's put into his game lately and his role as an anchor for the professional game amid roiling changes and challenges, Lewis asked, "What do you enjoy more about the game now?"
McIlroy's response was something any avid golfer would do well to internalize:
I think just the journey of trying to get the best out of myself. I think that's the satisfying thing. I never feel like I've figured this game out. I don't think I ever will figure it out. But every day I wake up trying to get closer.
The sentiments aren't novel, but the confidence with which McIlroy delivered them, plus the tinge of emotion in his voice, points to powerful subtext. It doesn't matter that golf is unconquerable, because there is tremendous value - monetary for pros of McIlroy's caliber, sure, but spiritual for anyone who loves golf - in the pursuit. Whether you're one of the world's elite in the prime of a professional career or someone over 90 years of age still unable to let the mysteries of your own shortcomings be, there is a great deal of satisfaction to be gained from your own efforts to advance your abilities.
"I never feel like I've figured this game out. I don't think I ever will figure it out, but every day I wake up trying to get closer."
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 23, 2022
For the love of the game ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Q3lodU6HXv
The pleased look on McIlroy's face is familiar to us, and it's not limited to those who play the game for money. It's familiar to anyone who has felt their own ceiling nudge upward after some momentous achievement on the course - a career-low round, a bumper-crop of birdies, even the feeling of a flushed shot. It's not some final goal. It's the fuel that propels us to the next milestone.
Watch these Rory McIlroy instruction series on GolfPass:
Pop-up Golf Clinic with Rory McIlroy: Full Swing (Season 1) | Wedge Play (Season 2)
Ask Rory: Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3
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