Rory McIlroy Reveals Shocking (For A Golf Pro) Propensity To Read And Enjoy Books

I have no idea what they are doing right at the Independent, but nice to see them essentially posting transcripts of Paul Kimmage’s chats with Rory McIlroy.

This from Part 2 on reading may cause some of his PGA Tour peers leery reading to wonder what the lad is doing. And nice work Kyle Porter…

PK: You're also reading a lot. At the Masters, you had just started a Steve Jobs biography and a book called Digital Minimalism?

RM: Yeah, Cal Newport. He's got Digital Minimalism and another one called Deep Work, about the capability of the human brain, but Digital Minimalism was massive. Kyle Porter from CBS had mentioned it in an article he wrote about Augusta and how it was great that people weren't staring at screens (the no phones policy at the Masters) but were talking and experiencing things.

Digital maximalism is also known as Living Under Par. Just saying…

PK: So you went looking for the book?

Like, in a bookstore? Dangerous!

RM: Yeah, and it made me more . . . aware, I guess. 'Why am I taking my phone out? Is it to learn something? Look at a message? Send an email?' Because when it becomes this (flicks a finger across the palm of his hand) . . .

PK: Sure.

RM: So I get these recommendations from people - Donal (Casey, the CEO of his management team) is a voracious reader - and I'll check them out. There have definitely been books that have resonated with me and authors I've really liked that have helped on, and off, the golf course and yeah, you could call it self-help. There's been a lot of self-help in there.

PK: Let's talk about a few more: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown.
RM: Essentialism was one of the first I read.

PK: What's the nub of that?

RM: Saying no.