Rory McIlroy took time off this year 'to realise what was important' to him after calling off divorce from wife Erica Stoll

"There's been a lot going on this year, golf wise and then obviously personal wise as well. I had to take a little bit of a break and get away from the game more than anything else."

"Golf and the business of golf had become all consuming for me for the last couple of years and I needed to take a bit of time away to realize what was actually important to me."

"We got her her first real clubs for her birthday this year. She's taken a little bit of interest, if she did I would be 100pc supportive but at the same time I wouldn't mind if she did something different."

"It's not just about being a sportsperson, there's all the rest of it that comes with it. Especially in this age of social media and all the stuff you have to deal with."

Read at Irish Independent