Rory McIlroy’s late-night texts that saved his Masters dream from collapse

A sports psychologist has revealed exactly what he told Rory McIlroy the night before the Northern Irishman secured a successive Masters title.

On Sunday (April 12), McIlroy joined Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as just the fourth golfer to retain the Masters with a nail-biting victory at Augusta National.

In doing so, the 36-year-old received a record $4.5 million (£3.6 million) of the total $22.5 million (£17.8 million) purse, while also becoming the highest earner in Masters history, pocketing $13.04 million (£10.35 million) from his 18 appearances at the event.

However, victory did not come easily, with McIlroy heavily pressured by Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young and Justin Rose despite racing into a six-shot lead earlier in the tournament – the biggest 36-hole lead in Masters history as he went 12-under-par.

However, by Saturday evening, Young was closing in, with the lead tied going into Sunday.

Despite a double bogey on the fourth hole, McIlroy responded with successive birdies on the seventh and eighth to regain the lead.

Scheffler and Young continued to fight on, but McIlroy rounded off the win with a two-putt bogey on the 18th to ensure he retained the Green Jacket.

Rory McIlroy's secret weapon revealed

Dr Bob Rotella, who is McIlroy’s psychologist, has revealed how he helped the Northern Irishman deal with the pressure heading into the final day of the Masters when Young was hot on his heels.

“I told him a few things, mostly by text,” Rotella told the Mail. “I told him you have a steel will. You do not break. You are strong and, remember, the shot that matters is the next one.

“This guy, he can hit all the shots. So long as there are holes in front of him, he can always make up ground, if he just stays in the moment. That’s what I told him.

“Our process isn’t outcome, it is being present.

"Rory had a difficult day Saturday, if we look at the outcome, but he is probably one of the only guys in the field who could get a 73 from that round. He did that by staying strong. He wasn’t collapsing, he was digging in and, in my view, he did a heck of a job of it.

“Then he came out again the next day and got it done. That is a calm mind.”

McIlroy has previously been open about working with a sports psychologist, describing how he spoke to him throughout his maiden Masters triumph last year.

Following last year’s victory, McIlroy admitted that he struggled to figure out what was next, but Rotella believes this time around, things are different.

“I wouldn’t put any limit on what Rory can do,” he added. “People have tried to do that for years. All I know is that he will have a ball finding out what is possible.”