Editorial: ​Rory McIlroy is free to go for glory in The Open without burden of history weighing him down

Golfers at every level appreciate the game’s magic lies in the knowledge you must live in the moment … with every shot serving up the potential for delight or despair.

​Rory McIlroy, however, also cannot escape talk of his legacy – both a blessing and burden which comes with being touched by sporting greatness.

That lauded tally of six majors - including a complete clean sweep of the sport’s highest honours – has cemented his place in the rarefied air shared by legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

His jovial response to media questions on Tuesday before this week’s final major of the season – the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale – confirmed McIlroy can now share a smile over talk of any legacy.

Often previous discussions resulted in a frown in front of media, or worse, self-confessed pressure problems out on the course – all before last year’s milestone Masters triumph finally stopped the wait for another major after over a decade of disappointment.

This week he will tackle the Open with that same fire in his belly but, judging by those comments over legacy talk, a head clear from dark clouds.

McIlroy reflected on that shift in mindset by telling reporters how “you have to enjoy the journey to get there…I’ve learned that the hard way at times by chasing results and records too much”. He also stated, with a smile: “I would like to think that the people that love and care about me think a certain way of me, but I’ll be long gone...I’ll be six feet under, I don’t think I’ll be a ghost.

“I think it would be a pretty unfulfilling pursuit if you’re just chasing records and results.”

At 37 years old, McIlroy still has plenty of time to enhance his celebrated career legacy but, thankfully, it seems now without that burden of history.