Rory McIlroy: ‘I’m naturally a people-pleaser. I don’t want people to not like me’

Northern Irishman admits 2015 injury set him back in the majors and after a quiet 2022, he says: Lower expectations are good'

Life was sweeter than ice cream for Rory McIlroy in the first half of 2015. He was the reigning Open and US PGA champion, had finished a career-best fourth at the Masters and posted a Top 10 at a quirky US Open at Chambers Bay. He won the Dubai Desert Classic, WGC Match Play and Wells Fargo Championship - which included a course-record 61 - by late May. Form was not so temporary.

It seemed inevitable McIlroy would make a serious tilt at defending the Claret Jug at the Old Course at St Andrews, a venue he adores. Cue an extraordinary social media bulletin on 6 July confirming McIlroy had ruptured left ankle ligaments playing football. He has not played the game since. And deliberately," he says. I don't want to do that again. I pride myself on not making the same mistake twice. I have played other things but never football because that could happen." He provides only half a smile.