Even Rory McIlroy is not impervious to first-tee nerves. Before the 2025 Masters, he opened up about how much the first tee can rattle him. But what makes his case interesting is that, unlike many other professionals, he doesn’t avoid the nerves. Instead, he tackles them with a practical, counterintuitive mental routine.

“I say this all the time. It’s counterintuitive to a lot of people to do this, but I do. If you’re trying to overcome anxiety or nerves or on performance, I do try to think about, well, what’s the worst that could happen? I’m not gonna die on the golf course, thankfully,” McIlroy said in an episode of the WHOOP Podcast last year.

“I used to have, like, first tee nerves, like, big time. I would struggle on the first tee. And so I would say to myself, well, what’s the worst that could happen? So if you hit it in the trees, okay, then what do you do? You go up there, and you figure it out, you know, you’re skillful enough to hit a punch shot out of the trees and, you know, get it up to the green and get it up and down and make a par and move on.”

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The Northern Irishman added that playing out the worst-case scenario in his head makes him feel comfortable. Although this might not sound right, there’s a scientific reason this works. If he brings up the worst-case scenario in his head, he is more prepared to face it if it occurs in reality. Therefore, he is ready to deal with whatever the course throws at him.

He also acknowledged that this process gives him a sense of freedom, which allows him to swing freely. And it’s no secret that long driving is his biggest weapon. This year, his longest drive so far is 405 yards, while his average driving distance is 328.5 yards. His 2026 driving stats rankings are impressive: 1st in SG: Off-the-Tee with an average of 0.922 yards, 2nd in Driving Distance with an average of 328.5 yards, and 34th in Total Driving with an average of 123 yards. His average driving accuracy is 56.85% (121st). He ranked 2nd in Driving Distance last year too, with an average of 323 yards.

But it’s not just imagining the worst-case scenario that helps him. It’s what he visualizes.

McIlroy said that he doesn’t visualize himself standing behind a tee shot and hitting a bad shot. He visualizes himself hitting where he wants to. He thinks, even before he gets to that point, what’s the worst that could happen to him. And that if the worst that happens isn’t that bad, then it’s okay. He can manage it.

While McIlroy said that he used to have these first-tee nerves in the past, he continues to struggle with them, especially during the Masters. When speaking to Scott Van Pelt ahead of playing at Augusta National this year, he said that despite being a reigning champion rather than someone chasing the Green Jacket, he was still nervous on the first tee.

McIlroy said he felt his nerves. He felt anxious; he always does before teeing up for the first time.

McIlroy said the same after his opening round. He said that it was the first of the 16 most important rounds of the year, and thinking about it always made him nervous.

Although very few athletes practice this, many coaches recommend this approach. The NFL Players Association also notes that preparing for worst-case scenarios reduces uncertainty. McIlroy’s approach shows that accepting the possibility of failure, rather than fearing it, can be an effective way to stay calm and perform under pressure.