NAPA, Calif. — Rory McIlroy’s success is built on quick calculations, such as determining the yardage he has left to the flag after a booming drive on a long par 4. But the math did not add up on the column of figures he was recently studying.
In a 365-day span, McIlroy spent 287 nights in hotels and the equivalent of 14 days on airplanes. An accounting of a recent 12-month chunk of his life revealed that McIlroy had 18 days off after fulfilling his professional obligations. He hardly had enough time to recharge, much less refine his game.