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Rory McIlroy Was Once the Next Tiger Woods. So, What Is He Now?

It’s been eight years since he last won a major. He still hasn’t conquered the Masters. But his total un-Tiger-ness is what makes him interesting.

Rory McIlroy wasn’t happy. He was 17. He’d just won the Mullingar Scratch Cup, making him perhaps the best amateur golfer in the world. And then on the drive home he broke into tears. These weren’t tears of joy; he wasn’t worried about future pressure. He cried because he felt empty inside. He thought he’d find some kind of enlightenment with that big trophy; instead, he just found more space within his own head.