Snooker icon Ronnie O'Sullivan has opened up about his fascinating conversation with golf superstar Rory McIlroy during their recent meeting in Dubai, revealing how two of sport's biggest names bonded over the mental challenges of competing at the highest level.
Elite Athletes Connect in Desert
The seven-time world snooker champion, who now calls Dubai home, visited the Earth Course during the DP World Tour Championship last week where McIlroy was competing. The Northern Irish golfer ultimately suffered defeat in a play-off against Matt Fitzpatrick at the tournament held in mid-November 2025.
O'Sullivan explained his motivation for attending the event, stating: "I'd always wanted to watch a professional golfer hit a ball, like a proper professional. Obviously living in Dubai now, it's easier to get to events, just up the road. It's just a lot easier and someone got me access there."
Meeting of Sporting Minds
The 49-year-old snooker legend described his first encounter with McIlroy in glowing terms. "He was really lovely, honestly. He was such a nice guy," O'Sullivan revealed. "You watch him on TV, you want to see him do well, but after meeting him, I found myself really rooting for him to do well."
O'Sullivan particularly appreciated that the four-time major champion took time out of his practice session for their chat. "Because he's a big star and it was nice of him to take the time out from his practise session just to have a little chat. I was made to feel so welcome," he added, referencing his social media appreciation post.
The Rocket also connected with other golf stars including Tommy Fleetwood and eventual tournament winner Matt Fitzpatrick, noting that all elite athletes experience similar emotional journeys regardless of their sport.
The Mental Game Takes Centre Stage
Despite their different sporting disciplines, O'Sullivan revealed their conversation focused less on technical aspects and more on the psychological demands of top-level competition.
"We didn't really talk about snooker or golf. It's just more about the pressures of it and the pressure we put on ourselves and the relationship and how difficult it can be," O'Sullivan explained. "So, yeah, very interesting. We all kind of had the same sort of vibe towards it, I suppose."
The snooker great offered intriguing insight into McIlroy's competitive mindset, particularly following the golfer's dramatic Masters victory earlier in the year. "He just has that ability to... I think he needs a challenge sometimes," O'Sullivan observed. "I think sometimes it's like, OK, I've got to get an eagle here and that's what turns him on, I suppose."
O'Sullivan suggested that for athletes who have achieved everything in their sport, finding motivation can be challenging. "When you've won everything that he's won in the game, it's sometimes hard to keep getting up for it. But situations can inspire you, I suppose, you know."
Following his Dubai excursion, O'Sullivan now turns his attention to the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship, where he's scheduled to face either Shaun Murphy or Saudi wildcard Ziyadh Alqabbani in his opening match on Wednesday at 7pm UK time.
